Picture Perfect
by MileyNick123
Summary: A picture can tell a thousand words, but it doesn't always tell the whole story. -Niley- COMPLETED
1. Prologue

_I guess most people would call my love story like any other typical love story: you meet, you date, you fall in love, ya di yada… But I disagree. I believe it's nothing like any other love story, not like yours or hers or his. And you want to know why?  
_

_ Cause it's mine._

_I first met Nick Grey on a movie set a few years ago; yes, THE Nick Grey; the Oscar winning big- time movie shot actor, Nick Grey. The one that makes girls around America swoon from the sound of his voice; a wink from his eyes; a hug from his arms, and you must think I was one of those lucky fans that was SOOOO in love with him and finally got the chance to be with the boy of my dreams… Well, you're wrong. Actually, when I first laid my eyes on Nick Grey, I thought I hated him. I thought he hated me. There was something different about him; something that sparked warnings in my head… and in my heart. I guess what I fell for wasn't the Nick Grey half the world saw on the big screen, but rather the curly haired boy with soft hazel eyes and a warm heart that stood right in front of me. I guess I should start from the very beginning; the moment that changed my life forever: My first day on the set of the big Blockbuster movie: Before the Storm._

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_A/N: Just the prologue. This is officially my new story. Based on the book Picture perfect- Jodi Picoult. _

_I also made a trailer to the story if you want to watch. You can watch it on .com/ItsMileyNick123 :)_

_Next chapter coming up tomorrow. Review on what you think so far.  
_


	2. Chapter 1: First Impressions

I blinked into the desert sun, shielding my eyes with the back of my blistered hand. I sighed as I slid my beaten- down baseball cap farther down my forehead. The desert air was dry, bitter, and barren except for the few fans that were turned on in the open doored bus. It felt like a safari. I couldn't believe I actually agreed to go on this trip with my mom. She was a paleontologist that was supposed to be traveling around Egypt discovering ancient bones and artifacts, not on her way to some movie set to help 'inspire' the actors on how to become one.

"Mom, are we almost there? This heat is killing me."

"Can you please relax, Miley. I thought you wanted this; a chance to get away from the boring search site," her mom explained as she drove down the sand covered road.

"At least I'd be seeing some real action. Not some busy superficial movie set for air heads and greedy movie producers," I sighed.

"I thought you'd be excited. I mean, you're going to meet Nick Gray, honey. Most teenagers would be freaking out right now," her mother laughed.

"Well, " I mumbuled, "I guess I'm not like most teenagers." She wiped a stray hair from her face and stared out at the barren landscape, staring at nothing but endless rows of sand, sand, and more sand. My mother never really understood me. Especially ever since my parents' divorce and my father left her for another woman 5 years ago. After that, she tried spending as much time away from home as possible; going on expedition trips; traveling the world for conventions; leaving for search parties; she needed an escape. This time, she took me with her.

Finally, after a few minutes we approached a huge site with the full set of cameras, trucks, equipment, buffet, and crew. It felt as if I were back home in New York again, but I wasn't; and this place definitely did not feel like home. I followed my mom out of the truck and wiped the sand off my faded jeans, and re-adjusted my baseball cap. I heard her mother take a deep intake of breath beside me.

"Don't be nervous, honey," she mumbled as we walked towards the movie set.

"I'm not," I explained dully. We were on a movie set. Woop- de- doo. I couldn't understand what people found so exciting about this. There were cameras, chairs, and people sweating from the never ending sun; nothing mind- blowing.

Suddenly, a short and balding middle aged man ardently made his way towards us. "Are you the Stewarts?"

Tish nodded her head quickly and shook his hand so hard that Miley was afraid he'd need to have it checked when he got back. "Thank you for having us stay here. We know this is going to be a valuable experience for both of us."

I smirked under my cap and crossed my arms in front of my chest as I stared at the bald spot on the man's head that seemed to reflect the sun's light. Even that was more interesting than the mumbling of voices I was hearing.

"And I'm Mr. Dennis. Call me only that," he commanded. "And this is your daughter, I suppose," he asked with a pointed finger. It took me a second to realize that both my mom and Mr. Dennis were staring at me for an introduction.

"Oh," I mumbled. "I'm Miley Stewart. Nice to meet you," I greeted with the biggest fake smile I could manage as I held out an open hand. He stared at it for a good few minutes before I awkwardly put it back to my side.

"Right… Well, then. Let's get going. Time costs money," he ordered as he led us through the mass of trucks and dressing rooms. Eventually, he led us to a small tent that was set up carelessly at the corner of the set. "This is yours. All paid for. Charge- free, so we expect to see some good progress between you and the actors." And with that Mr. Dennis walked away.

"This is what we ditched a tour of Egypt for?" I scoffed. I poked the unbalanced tent and watched as it almost toppled over.

"It's fine, Miley," Tish sighed. "It's only two weeks. And it's not even that bad."

"This is a hell- hole," I whispered to myself. I threw my bags down on the sand floor and examined my new surroundings. "Mom, I think I'm going to go look around for a bit."

"Okay, but don't bother anyone on …." She started, but I already walked far enough away to not listen to whatever other mistake she was about to tangle me up into.

I have never, and I mean NEVER, seen anything this busy. There were people scrambling around as if it meant their lives. There were people screaming or eating or even exercising in the 100 degree weather. I walked past a row of curious yet haughty stares and made my way farther into the world of 'Hollywood'. Egypt sure wasn't affecting their daily routines. I think I even saw one walking a dog. Suddenly, the voices of two people approaching caught my attention. I turned around and came face to face with Nick Grey… Well, not really. I was just standing in his path. He was too busy talking on his phone to realize I was there. The only thing I was wondering was where and how he found signal to use a phone in the middle of the desert. He seemed surreal. As I watched him walk over, my mind kept comparing him to the Nick Grey I saw on the big screen… They were definitely the same person; same eyes; same curls; same strut, but there was also something different. Something that I had never caught about him, and still couldn't. There was a mystery settled beneath him. Something I knew that no one would ever figure out. As they approached faster, I guessed that Nick would move out of the way… But, he didn't and he elbowed right into me; and I toppled over on the hot sand. He turned around to look at me, or maybe whoever touched him.

"Sorry about that," he explained as he shot me one of those movie- star grins. One of those 'heart- melting' grins that was supposed to make me forgive him. And I would have, if he didn't just turn around and walk away, leaving me on the hot sand with a huge bruise on my shoulder. Embarrassed, I pulled myself up and wiped the sand off myself. I turned around to see if anyone was staring at me, but they were all too busy with their own oh- important- lives. I blushed and kept on walking until I heard the familiar voices again. From a distance, I watched as Nick Grey seemed to be arguing with another guy, as he seemed ready to strike his head off. Suddenly, Nick stepped forward and punched the guy straight in the face and caused him to fall over with blood splattering everywhere.

"Guys! Someone help that guy! He's going to bleed to death!" I screamed anxiously. I looked around the group of people and saw no worry or excitement. A voice interrupted her stare, " It's called rehearsal, hun."

I blushed suddenly realizing that there wasn't a real fight. It was all practice before the actual shooting. After a few minutes of endless blushing, I decided to get back to my own tent. It might have been smaller than this, but it was definitely less suffocating. The only way back to the tent was through the set, the set that Nick Grey was not rehearsing on. I decided to pass on as quickly as possible.

I walked quickly across the set and pulled my baseball cap down lower until I was directly in front of him. I was almost to the other side until a voice broke through.

"Hey. You. Can you please go get me a sparkling water. I'm dying out here," Nick Grey exclaimed. It took me a few seconds to realize he was talking to me.

"Um… I don't…" I stuttered.

"Hurry up, please. I don't have all day," he said. Then, after a few seconds of me just standing there, he flashed me that grin again. "Please."

I smirked at that grin. He thought he could do anything with it. Exhausted, I just turned around to get him his sparkling water. After digging around the cooler for about 3 minutes, I made my way back to Nick Grey, who was now lounging on his chair. He smiled as he saw me approaching with his water.

"Thank you," he grinned as he held his hand out for his water bottle.

"It was my pleasure," I smirked, before I poured the whole ice- cold water bottle down his $500 hand- made vintage shirt… One that I absolutely hated.

He stared at me dumbstruck, then at his soaked shirt, then back to me. His eyes flickered with something that I couldn't identify as either anger, surprise, or both. Tired with the growing silence, I turned around and continued my walk back towards my own tent. Before long, I heard a soft sound of footsteps following behind me.

"Hey," Nick called out as he grabbed my shoulder. I turned around and saw him still dripping wet. "Nice to meet you. I'm Nick Grey," he smiled. And this time it wasn't that movie- star grin; it was just a smile.

I stood there bewildered. "I just poured a whole bottle of ice- cold water down your shirt," I reminded him.

He shrugged and smiled again. "At least I don' feel so hot anymore."

I stared at him for a good long second.

"So can I have the pleasure of knowing your name?" He held out a hand to shake mine.

"Miley," I explained. "Miley Stewart." I kept my hands to my side, and he eventually put his own hand down.

"Well, Miley Stewart. What are you doing here?" he asked.

"Taking a stroll," I replied sarcastically. A smile grew on his face as if he were about to laugh. We just stood there staring at each other. Him staring at me. Me standing there awkwardly. "So, um. I have to go."

He blinked in disappointment. "Right. Well, I have to go back to rehearsal anyway. So I'll be seeing you around?"

"I don't know. I'll probably be laying back here. This is my mom's job, not mine," I explained already beginning to walk away. "Just forget everything that happened," I smiled.

"Too late. You made too big a first impression, Miley Stewart," he laughed as he also started walking back. As I walked back to my small crowded tent, he walked back to his rehearsal set in front of cameras that would broadcast him all over the world; truthfully, we were walking away with two different worlds between us.

"By the way," I shouted back. "I'd suggest you change your shirt."

He turned around with a growing smile. "Nah. I like it better this way."

I turned around at that moment and smiled back at him. He was still flashing a smile as he walked backwards; confident of not bumping into anyone behind him.

"So what about after rehearsal? 7 P.M." he shouted with a grin.

I shrugged smirking as I walked back to my tent. "It was nice meeting you, Nick Gray."


	3. Chapter 2: Some Things Last

After a few hours and a short nap, I made my way out of my tent and into reality. Yup, it wasn't a dream. Still in the middle of Egypt, with the movie cast of a Hollywood blockbuster, with me cramped in a used tent. I stretched out my arms and searched around for my mom. It was already getting dark, and a cold wind was starting to pick up. I finally found my mom on the floor digging up the ground with someone next to her. Specifically, that someone was Nick Grey. Both were laughing as she taught him how to hold the instruments, and where exactly to dig. I stood off awkwardly watching my mom and Nick work.

Finally, after a few minutes, both got up and dusted themselves off. Mom turned around at that exact moment and made eye contact with me. "Miley, hun! Come meet Nick Gray."

I blushed embarrassed. It was one thing for your mom to act like a mom in front of your friends at school. It was a completely different subject to have your mom do it in front of one the most respected and popular actors in the world. I walked slowly from the shade and made my way to my mom. I had left my baseball cap at the tent, and my hair was flying in all directions from my nap. As I stepped closer, Nick's eyes flickered after finally realizing who I was.

"Nick, this is my daughter, Miley," my mom introduced.

"We've met," he smiled. I took that moment to look him in the eye. He was smiling back at me. Not with the grin, but just another smile.

"Really? When?" my mom asked surprised.

"Earlier today," I said quickly, hoping he'd leave out the unnecessary details. He raised a teasing eyebrow.

"Yeah. Earlier today. She sure is good at making first impressions," he smirked. I bit my lip and gave him the best evil stare I could manage.

"Well, nice to see you guys get along. See Nick, my daughter here has been dreading this trip since we found out we were going to be here," she explained.

"Mom," I groaned.

"And she isn't much of a fan of yours, so I was hoping she'd change her mind," my mom giggled. I groaned again and placed my head in my hands.

"I'm sure I can change her mind," Nick laughed. I could feel his gaze on me, but I was too embarrassed to make any type of eye- contact.

"Good," my mom laughed. "Well, I have to go and get my things back in the tent," she explained as she picked up her digging tools. "I'll see you at dinner," she said as she kissed me forehead. If it weren't impossible enough, I blushed a deeper red.

I stood there awkwardly as my mom walked away. "So," Nick said as he checked his wrist watch. "7:00. You're on time," he grinned.

I looked up and laughed. "I guess I am. Now, bye." I turned around to walk away, but he ran in front of me.

"You're not getting away from me that fast. I still have to persuade you on enjoying this trip," he smiled.

"Oh yeah, that," I sighed. "Excuse my mom. She babbles a lot." I started walking forward again, but he wouldn't let me pass.

"You're mom's really cool," he said. "I'd feel lucky to have a mom like her."

I blushed from his comment, not knowing if it was a compliment to me or not. I pushed forward anyway. Once again, he came in front of me. "C'mon. You at least have to have dinner first. It's your first night on set," he explained. "What about I take you out to dinner?" he offered.

"Like a date?" I laughed. "A date in the middle of the desert?"

A smile grew on his face, "This place is more beautiful than you think," he grinned looking around at the landscape. "Don't judge from first impressions. You should know that." He laughed.

I blushed again and felt a grumble in my stomach. "I heard that," Nick laughed. "Now c'mon or we're going to miss it."

Before I could refuse, he pulled me by the hand and led me away. We finally reached a dead end of rocks. Before I could ask what now, he slipped through a narrow space between two boulders and told me to follow. I made my way through and found him standing on top of a massive flat rock that hung over at least 50 feet in the air. "What is this place?" I called out as I came closer to him shakily.

"Don't worry," he said as he took my hand. "It's safe up here. Just don't fall."

"Was that supposed to make me feel better?" I asked looking down at the 50 feet of open air beneath us.

He laughed again and helped me sit down. In front of us was a whole buffet of food, warm and ready to be eaten. "How did this get here?"

"I always eat here," he explained. "I found this my first week on set, and I fell in love with it."

"Why," I asked looking at the dark landscape; so dark you could barely see anything.

"Because of that," he explained as he leaned his head back and pointed towards the sky. I did the same and watched in stars in awe. I took a deep in- take of breath. "It's like I could just reach out and pull out a star. It feels like this is the center, like the middle, of earth and heaven. We're right in the middle," he sighed. He leaned back and lay on the rock's smooth surface. I turned my head to watch him for a second. His face was relaxed. It was not the same face I saw on TV or in movies, not even the same face that I met during rehearsal. This was different. It was more raw; more real; more vulnerable. This was him.

At that exact moment, he turned his head towards me and caught me looking. "What?" he smiled.

I shook my head, "Nothing. You just seem different from what I expected."

He turned his head back to the stars. "What did you expect?"

I kept my gaze on him. "I don't know. Some spoiled brat who thinks he can order everyone around, because he's better than them."

"Were you wrong?" he asked.

I cracked a grin. "Partly." Nick laughed for a few minutes before silence took over.

"You know what's so amazing about stars?" Nick broke the silence. "They shine on no matter what. They last forever."

I kept a steady gaze, wondering how hard it must be to be him; always fearing the day your looks fade; wondering when and where yours fans will stop caring; watching everything you've worked for disappear in one moment; having to accept the one fact of Hollywood: Fame never lasts.

"Yeah." I replied. "But some things last."

"Some," he emphasized. After a few minutes, he sat up. "So what about we start dinner."

I sat up still dazed from the conversation from earlier. "What's there to eat?"

"Let's see," Nick said as he scanned the table of food. "We have some filet minon, smoked salmon, Caesar salads, and finger sandwiches. Your choice."

I examined the table of food; some that I probably would never have the chance of tasting ever again. "I'll just take a bag of Lays," I laughed as I took the crumpled bag from the corner of the table.

"Nice choice," Nick laughed. He took his own bag as they settled down on the benches.

"So, tell me about this movie," Miley asked. "And how does this relate to my mom?"

Nick grinned as if he had a lot to say. "Well, the movie is called Before the Storm as you know. Basically, I play a famous paleontologist placed in Egypt. I accidentally discover an ancient city where the ancient princess comes back to life from a spell I recite. We fall in love, and try to figure out how to wake up the rest of her civilization."

"Well, what happens in the end," I asked intrigued.

He shrugged. "You're going to have to watch the movie," he laughed.

I laughed and punched him in the shoulder.

"Hey! You can't hit me. I'm Nick Grey," he winced sarcastically.

"And I'm Miley Stewart," I grinned as I hit him again. "So, is life easier with your lifestyle?"

"What do you mean?" he asked.

I shrugged. "Like with celebrity parties, the fame, the fans, the connections. Your life is probably a breeze."

He laughed, but there was a hint of sarcasm in it. "My life is far from that."

"C'mon. You were probably raised in Beverly Hills or something. Let me guess, the full Porsche, mansion, and butler?" I grinned, but his face was set as stone.

"Actually, I was an orphan. My mother abandoned me when I was four. To this day, I still have no idea who my mother or my father was. Basically, I have no family," he explained, his face serious and fixed. He had vulnerability in his expression that seemed so raw, so real, that Miley couldn't believe she was still talking to the same person she was talking too just a few minutes ago.

I sat there feeling like a complete idiot as I tried to find the right words. "I'm sorry," I replied. "I didn't… I didn't know."

In a single moment, his face transformed back to the easy- going Nick Grey the world knew and loved. "It's fine," he laughed. "As your mom said, I as I guess you're not that big of a fan."

"I've watched some movies," I replied as I ate my last chip. "Like that one where you played that agent looking for the cure to that virus."

"Yup," he nodded. "I remember that. Shooting was hell," he laughed.

"Don't you have stunt doubles?"

"Yeah, but I prefer doing my own stunts. It makes me feel like a better actor," he explained. "And I don't know. I try doing all that I possibly can." His face suddenly morphed into a different Nick. "It's like… I have to make up for my parent's mistakes."

I sighed as I held out an open hand in front of me. He put his own hand in mine and we just sat there, in silence, taking in each other's company. After half an hour, he stood up. "We better get going. We don't want the whole crew looking for us."

"Right," I blushed. I stood up and followed him back out the pass. Before I walked back to my own tent, he pulled me back.

"Hey," he whispered. "You're not even going to say goodbye?"

I smiled. "Goodbye."

He stepped closer. "Goodnight." He took one hand out for a handshake. I raised an eyebrow and brought out my hand. The moment my hand was in his, he pulled me closer to him.

"What are you doing?" I breathed out. His face was inches from mine and my heart caught in my throat. He smiled as he looked me straight in the eye.

"Goodnight," he whispered.

My eyes stared back at his. "You already said that," I let out a soft sigh before finally letting silence take over. He took that moment to lean forward. As his lips were right in front of mine, I pulled back with a grin.

"2 weeks," was all I said as I turned around and walked back to my tent.

"That's it?" he called out.

I laughed softly. "Goodnight, Nick Grey."


	4. Chapter 3: Complications

For the next few days, life wasn't so bad. I eventually got to know everyone's names, thanks to Nick. It was actually starting to feel like home. Every day started out in a routine; wake up; breakfast; read a book; wander around set. Then in the afternoon, during Nick's break, he'd take me to someplace new he had discovered, or he'd make me do things that I never thought I'd be doing. He was changing my life. And at night, the routine fell back into place: I'd sneak through the secret passage with Nick, watch the stars, eat dinner, walk back to my tent, and fall asleep anticipating the next day.

The last few days I've been able to spend with him, helped me gain a deeper understanding of the Nick Grey that was talked about so much. I learned about the talent agent who had discovered him; the hard crawl to make it to the top in the entertainment industry; but we never talked about his past, before he had been discovered, never about the hardships he went through in the orphanage he was raised in… or even farther back: his parents. I still haven't seen the sentimental Nick I had seen on the first day. Every time the conversation began leading to his past, he quickly change the subject; specifically to me.

_"So what's your story?" he asked me one day._

_I shrugged. "What do you mean?"_

_"C'mon," he said. "Everyone has a story. Movies aren't that different from life. There's always a beginning, a climax, and an ending."_

_"Then I guess the beginning of my story was when I was born?"_

_"Not exactly," he explained. "It can be anything you want. The first major mile stone of your life."_

_I let that sink in a moment before I answered. "I guess it would be when me, my dad, and my mom visited New York all together one day. I remember getting lost in this department store, and I didn't know where to go. I didn't cry. I was too young to realize I was lost. After a few minutes, they found me… or rather I found them. My mom was frantic. I remember that look on her face. My dad just held her hand supportively, trying to be the calm one. They balanced each other… And when I ran towards them, they both wrapped their arms around me. I remember my mom's hair smelled like apples; like the ones we used to pick in together in October." _

_"When we were still a family," I thought to myself._

_I continued, "And at that moment, with me in their arms, them murmuring my name in my hair as they carried me into the car and even still as we made our way home... They didn't let go. And that was the day that I knew that I'd never be alone. Never,"_

_I turned to look at Nick. He nodded. "I'd definitely call that a beginning."_

_I turned to look at my hands. "And I guess my climax of my story would be their divorce."_

_He turned towards me, his hazel eyes searching mine. "I'm sorry."_

_I shrugged his sympathy off. "It's fine. My dad made his choice. He didn't want us. As long as he's happy."_

_"Are you happy?" he asked._

_I turned to look at him; the movie- star that half the world knew. And here I was, a 17- year old student who gets the regular B's and C's, talking to him as if we've known each other our whole lives._

_I smiled. "I think I am."_

_He smiled back at me as he continued eating his plate of chili cheese fries and burgers; something I had recently introduced him too._

* * *

I smiled from my flashback as I made my way towards his trailer. Today was a hotter than usual, and the only place with working air- conditioning was his trailer. "Hello?" I called out as I slowly opened the door. I walked in and sighed as I felt the cool air touch my skin. I walked farther through and lay down on his couch.

"Excuse me," a high voice exclaimed. "Who are you? And what are you doing in here?"

I sat up quickly and faced the one and only Selena Jansen. THE Selena Jansen. Famous singer; song- writer; and newly up- coming actress. "Oh my god," I gasped. "You're Selena Jansen."

"Yes. I know that," she rolled her eyes. "And who are you?"

"I'm Miley Stewart," I explained. She raised an eyebrow.

"Am I supposed to know who you are?"

"No. My mom's working on set."

"And crew member's daughters can randomly just walk into Nick Grey's trailer?" she eyed me thinking I was some crazy fan.

"No, actually we're…" I started, but Nick took that moment to walk in.

"Hey, Miley," he called out with a smile. "Rehearsal was hell today. Has it always been this hot?" he threw me a water bottle.

"Ehem," Selena coughed. Nick turned around and finally faced her.

"Selena?" Nick gasped as his eyes widened. She grinned as she ran over to him and brought him into a long embrace. I sat there awkwardly pretending to look away. "What are you doing here?"

"Well," Selena grinned as she prepared to tell a story. "The old girl that was supposed to play Samantha got the flu or something, so they hired me for her part!" she squealed as she hugged him again.

"Samantha? As in my love interest in the movie?" he asked.

"That's the one," she squealed again. I guessed they must have forgotten I was in the room as they slowly got into a long conversation about how each other was doing. Embarrassed, I slowly made my way out of the trailer.

"Miles!" he called out after me. "Where are you going?"

"Oh, I just guessed you guys would want to catch up," I explained.

"It's fine. You can stay. I had some things planned for today," he smiled encouragingly. I would have smiled back if Selena wasn't giving me the death stare behind him.

"No. It's fine. We can do it another day," I said encouragingly. As I walked away, I could hear her high- pitch voice break through the desert air.

"Who was that?"

Nick's voice was softer, but it pierced even sharper. "Just a friend, Sel. Just a friend."

* * *

I sat with the rest of the crew under the massive umbrella for shade as I watched my mom work with Nick and Selena. After a few minutes, my mom packed up her stuff and left Selena and Nick alone. I watched as she flipped her perfectly glossed hair behind her shoulders and as Nick laughed and smiled at every word that came out of her mouth.

"Those two are on again, I'm guessing," Jeanne, the make- up artist, sighed behind me. I turned around.

"They've been together?"

"Duh, hunny. What magazine have you been reading in? They dated for like 2 years." I turned around to look at them again. This time, he was carrying her as she squealed and pretended to struggle out of his grasp.

"I heard it was pretty serious too," she said behind me.

"Why'd they break- up?" I asked curiously.

She leaned closer to me. "I heard Selena cheated on him with David Ryan."

"David Ryan? As in the model/ actor?" She nodded.

"Then I guess they're probably not getting back together?"

She laughed. "Let's just say that this movie is as much a romance as it is an action movie."

I looked away and back at them. They were now standing close enough that their lips could touch if they had leaned forward. My stomach turned in my stomach as I looked away guiltily.

Why did I care? I didn't like him. We were just friends. Just friends. We both made that very clear. He has millions of adoring fans; I have … almost no one. It'd be impossible anyway. Right?

I looked up and noticed the sky was beginning to darken. I stoop up quickly and walked the opposite direction of Selena and Nick.

"Miles!" Nick called out. "Where are you going? It's almost dinner," he hinted. He would be taking me back to the passage. I wondered if he'd take Selena with him…

"Um… my mom asked me to eat with her tonight," I quickly lied. "Is that okay?"

Disappointment flickered through his eyes, but he quickly layered his 'grin' over it. "It's fine. Maybe tomorrow, then?"

I nodded as I gulped back my regret.

"C'mon, Nicky. I'm hungry. What's there to eat in this place?" Selena groaned from behind him. She began to drag him away, but he kept eye- contact with me… Every single step.


	5. Chapter 4: Choosing My Future

The next day was, in one word: hell. I spent half the time watching Selena and Nick flirt their way around the set, as I sat in the corner of my tent counting the rows of sand I could see from the tent window. Suddenly, I heard a rummaging outside my tent. I crawled out and found my mom putting her stuff away.

"How was your day?" I asked politely hoping she wouldn't go into detail about anything Nick and Selena had done.

"Same old, same old," she explained as she wiped the sand off her jeans. "I was going to watch their final rehearsal tonight. Do you want to come?"

I shrugged. "No. It's okay. I have some things to do," I lied as I looked around the empty tent. Luckily, she got the hint and left me alone in my own silence.

After a few minutes, I could hear a heavy set of laughter from the set as rehearsal started. Eventually, I grew curious and slowly made my way towards the light that everybody was grouped around. I hid behind a near trailer and watched him from a near enough distance that I could watch, but not be noticed. Nick was at the center of stage as he began to recite his lines.

I watched in awe as his voice spread around the atmosphere. His eyes became serious and intent; his hand motions mimicked with a definite tone of authority and power as he slowly transformed into Travis Samson; the famous paleontologist in search of the ancient city of Euphilia.

"He's amazing, isn't he?" a familiar voice whispered behind me. I turned around and came face to face with Selena Jansen. "I'm still in awe every time I watch him work."

"What do you want?" I asked curiously. She never found a reason to talk to me before.

"Nothing," she shrugged. "Just watching, like you."

Not wanting to argue with her answer, I turned back around to watch Nick on stage. This time, his face had transformed into something more tragic. It must have been nearing the end.

"You know he won't stop talking about you," Selena whispered behind me. I turned around surprised.

"Really?"

She forced a small smile, not looking at me. "Yeah. I've been trying to shut him up all together, but he just won't. I don't even think he can," she laughed. "And the way he looks at you… He's never looked at me like that," she sighed in defeat.

"I don't know what you're talking about," I mumbled.

"Yeah you do," she sighed. "You look at him the same way."

I ignored the comment and watched as he read his final lines, holding out his character to the final second. And in a sudden moment, the paleontologist Dr. Travis Samson metamorphosed back to the 17- year old actor Nick Grey.

The whole set exploded in applause as Nick grinned his way through the crowd thanking everyone he passed by.

"It's sad that it'll all be over in a week though," Selena sighed behind me. I finally turned around to face her.

"What are you talking about?"

"You know. He'll be going back to LA. You'll be going back to… wherever you're from. You'll just turn into 'a girl he met' on one of his movies," she smirked.

I bit my lip trying to keep silent. I acted as if I didn't care, but honestly, the comment hurt me more than I expected. "I don't care. We're just friends anyway," I explained.

"Right," she grinned. "Just friends." She turned around, noticing Nick coming our way. "I'm just warning you, Miley… That's your name, right? He's going to forget you. It won't be the first time it happened."

At that moment I thought I hated Selena. She was everything I expected a star would be; ardent; stuck- up; and spoiled. I was about to answer back, but Nick reached us first.

"Miles! Hey. I didn't know you were watching," he grinned. Selena walked over and hung her slim arms around his shoulder.

"Yup. We watched together," she smiled sweetly at me. I almost gagged from all the fakeness.

"So what do you think?" he smiled at me.

"I thought…" I started but Selena interrupted.

"You were amazing tonight, Nicky."She reached over and hugged him. After pulling away, he looked back at me. "What did you think?"

"I…" but Selena's words echoed through my head. 'He'll forget you'. He'll forget you… What would my opinion matter.

"Excuse me," I mumbled as I turned around and ran, and ran, and just ran.

* * *

I heard a soft shuffling of footsteps enter behind me. "Nick, I don't want to talk about it."

"I thought you hated it here," he laughed. I turned around to meet his gaze. "This place, I mean. You said it was too high. You said you didn't understand why I loved it so much."

I turned back around to face the stars. "People change their minds every day, Nick."

He sat next to me. "I guess." After a few minutes of silence he asked, "What's wrong?"

"Nothing's wrong."

"Miles. I know you better than that. What's wrong?"

I sighed. "I don't know. Just thinking about the future, I guess."

"Yeah. Me too," he confessed as he leaned back on his palms. I looked at him surprised.

"I thought you were the 'live- for- the- moment' kind of guy," I smiled.

"Yeah. But I don't know. This past week's changed me," he grinned. "So tell me what you're thinking about, and I'll tell you what I was thinking about."

I took a deep breath. "What's going to happen after this week. When I have to face reality… when I have to leave you."

I could sense him turn to me, but before he could reply, I interrupted him. "Your turn. What are you thinking about."

I shifted my gaze to him waiting for his answer. After a few minutes, he brought his eyes up to meet mine. "You stole my answer," he grinned as he leaned forward. Before I could stop to realize what I was doing, his lips were on mine. He tasted like the sun. I had only known him for a week, and he already seemed so familiar. After pulling away, we were both left breathless… And I don't think it was from the kiss either.

"What are you doing?" I asked.

He took a few seconds as he caught his breath. "Choosing my future," he finally answered as he leaned over to meet my lips again.


	6. Chapter 5: Forever

I woke up the next morning with a smile on my face. The minute I realized it, I stopped.

"It was a dream," I told myself. "Just a dream." But then my mind was suddenly flooded with memories. I grinned into my pillow as I remembered everything from last night.

"What are you smiling about?" my mom asked as she walked in.

I sat up quickly trying to hide my smile. "Nothing, Mom. It's just a great day."

"Right," she answered raising a questioning eyebrow. "Is this about you and Nick?"

My mouth gaped open. "Mom!" I screamed embarrassed.

"What?" she laughed. "I know more than you think."

"Mom!" I screamed again as I ran towards her.

"What? What am I supposed to say?" she grinned. "He's a very good- looking young gentleman."

I blushed. "Mom. Did you just call my boyfriend hot?"

"Yeah," she answered. We both ended up in a fit of laughter. In that moment, all fall- outs and cracks in our relationship vanished. The days and years since the divorce; it all disappeared. We were mother and daughter again, not just forced companions.

"C'mon, Miles. Let's get breakfast," my mom grinned. I ran into the bathroom and picked out an outfit. I cursed at myself for not bringing anything more flattering aside from my daily pair of ripped shorts and old t-shirt. After deciding on a simple tank- top and another pair of shorts, my mom and I made our way towards the eating area arm in arm; friend to friend; mother to daughter; almost like a real family.

After finishing a bowl of fruit loops, I made my way around set looking for something to do, or more specifically, looking for him.

"Miles," I voice behind me whispered as I felt a pair of strong hands lift me up from behind. I giggled as he carried me in his arms and lifted me to a distant hill of sand, away from set. He lay me softly on the smooth surface as he lay himself next to me. Nick was wearing a clean button- down polo shirt (something he definitely shouldn't be wearing on sand) and a pair of black shorts. I felt his hand reach for mine as we let silence take over.

"What are you thinking about?" he asked me.

"Just how perfect everything is," I sighed as I moved closer until my head rested on his chest. He wrapped his arms around me again.

"Nothing's perfect," he said. "But I'm pretty sure this is as close as it gets," he smiled. I smiled back into his chest and said nothing, letting his words sink in. We weren't perfect, but perfect didn't really exist. The realization suddenly made the world pulse beneath my fingertips. Everything had flaws, but flaws made us who we were. Without mistakes, would we really learn anything?

"I wish we had more than a week left together," I whispered into his chest. He suddenly tightened his arms around me.

"We have forever," he corrected. Forever… It echoed in my head. Forever…

I always thought it was crazy how fast people could fall in love. My mom for example, she met my dad when she was 16. They got married by 18. They had me by 21. It seemed almost surreal to actually 'fall in love' that fast. High school was filled with examples too. Relationships at this age never lasted. They were merely practice for when you find the real 'love of your life'. Someone you were supposed to find later, much later. When my parents divorced, I made myself believe that it was because they rushed into marriage, that they rushed into love. I believed that they made a mistake. They weren't supposed to get married. They had mixed up their paths. They were supposed to only stop and rest, but instead they settled… From the day their marriage fell apart, I promised myself I would never repeat their mistake.

I guess he was the only exception.

"Do you think we're rushing into this?" I asked.

"No," he answered simply. "I remember I fell in love with you the moment I saw you."

"You pushed me over," I laughed.

"Yeah. Exactly," he grinned. "And you know why I didn't help you up?"

"Because you didn't want to ruin your manicure?" I answered sarcastically.

He laughed into my hair. "Because I was scared I'd feel it again." I stayed silent. "When our skin touched that day, I felt something… It was different for sure. I wasn't sure if it was good or bad, so I tried ignoring it. But honestly, you scared me."

"How romantic," I smiled teasingly.

He hugged me tighter. "And when you poured that water on me… It literally woke me up," he laughed. "I finally found the courage to look at you."

"You make me sound like a monster."

"Well then," he smiled. "Most beautiful monster I have ever met."

"GREY!" a deep voice sounded from behind us. We instantly sat up dazed. In front of us was the director, Mr. Dennis, the man who had first greeted us on our first day. He eyed me with an unapproving look before he turned his gaze towards Nick. "Get on set now. Time costs money," he said again.

Only after helping me up did he follow Mr. Dennis back on set. Nick was nervously tugging on his dog-tag necklace, something he always hung around his neck, ever since the first day I had met him. Every few seconds, Mr. Dennis would look back at me with a look of disapproval.

"Ignore him," Nick whispered into my ear after another handful of dirty looks. "He just hasn't had his head massage yet," he grinned as he pointed to his hair- less head.

"It's fine," I sighed. I kissed him goodbye, before going back to my tent to do some extra- reading.

By noon, I made my way back out and found my mom in a deep discussion with the producers about what to do with the financial ideas. Did I ever mention she was once an extremely well- known lawyer and businesswoman? She could have been so much more if I hadn't been born. I know she doesn't regret her decision, but I could always see the 'what if's' in her eyes.

After I decided she was too busy to hang out with, I made my way to the center of the set and saw Nick shooting a scene. I watched intrigued as he fully transformed into his character; a Nick I didn't even know.

"Read it!" he screamed frustrated as his crew team scrambled around trying to decipher the Egyptian code. I remember the way Nick described this scene. In front of me, all I saw were a group of guys screaming lines and looking around at their barren surroundings. After the special effects, they were paleontologists in a crumbling pyramid as they quickly tried deciphering the symbols in front of them.

Soon, Nick jumped to the left from a still- invisible ceiling that nearly collapsed on him. After a few minutes of a chase scene, Selena walks in as the camera zooms in to take in everything she was; which in her Egyptian gown and head dress, she was beautiful.

"Run," Nick or rather Travis Samson exclaimed to Serena or her character, Draenna. But she shook her head as she took one step closer to the collapsing building.

"What are you doing?" Travis asked desperately. He held out an open hand for her to take, but she shook her head and looked at the rubble around her.

"Home," she whispered with tears in her eyes. She pointed to the wreckage that was about to collapse into nothing. "Home," she said again.

Travis ran closer. "I can't leave you… I won't leave you," he cried out as tears formed in his eyes.

She nodded again as her own tears slowly escaped. After a long pause, Travis leaned forward and kissed her with everything he had to give. In one moment, they were one. Everyone around the set watched the scene play out in awe, anticipating the next move or word. After a loud crash behind them, the passionate kiss was broken.

"Go," Deanne whispered as she wiped away his tears and pushed him away. Travis stumbled back far enough for her to run farther into the collapsing pyramid.

"No," he screamed with such intensity, with such power; with such tragedy; with such pain that I almost believed him. I no longer saw any sign of Nick Grey. The Nick Grey I had just kissed on the sand; the Nick Grey who held my hand back to set… This was not Nick Grey at all. This was a struggling, confused, and broken- hearted man who just lost the love of his life. He had fallen on the ground due to the strength of her push and he watched as the whole pyramid collapse in front of his eyes… never seeing another sign of the woman he loved… Not a single sign.

And in that moment, he cried. He cried until he could no longer remember the pain of what he had seen. He cried until he could no longer remember the way her hair smelled like lavender. He cried until he could no longer remember how perfect her hands seemed to fit in his. He cried until he could no longer remember her.

After a final choke of her name, Travis Samson collapsed on the hot sand as blackness swallowed him in.

It took a few beats of silence and a CUT before the set exploded in applause. The crumpled heap of Travis Samson slowly stood up transforming back to Nick Grey. A huge smile was painted on his face as the crowd's cheers only grew louder and louder. From the corner of the set, Selena appeared without a single imperfection on her face (even though she had just dived in between piles and piles of hot sand.) He took her hand and raised it up for the crowd to cheer. She blushed lightly as she stood forward and made a small curtsy.

Even I had to admit she had talent. I truly believed she had once been an Egyptian princess. When they had kissed, it didn't bother me either… Maybe it's because I knew that it wasn't Nick and Selena kissing, but rather Travis and Deanne. I slowly wondered how the end would turn out. I knew that that scene wasn't the end. That's how movies work. They have one huge dramatic/action/ romantic/ horror scene, and then they have one final scene. The final scene that would resolve all unanswered questions, or in some movies, create more.

Nick saw me from the corner of his eye and his grin grew with every step towards me. Without knowing what he was doing, he picked me up in his arms and kissed me. Right there in front of everyone. I could feel people staring, I could hear people gasping… I could even hear another roar of applause, but this time it wasn't from the scene. It was for me… It was for us.


	7. Chapter 6: Capture Life

We had been lying tonight longer than usual. I was lying on top of Nick's chest, as I listened to Nick's steady heartbeat. Beneath my fingers I felt Nick's dog- tag necklace.

"What's the story with this?" I asked as I examined the necklace closer. He sat up and grasped onto it as if a reflex.

"Nothing you'd want to hear," he said with an easy- going smile, but I could see the fear in his eyes. "So how was your day," he changed the subject.

I knew he was hiding something. Whenever the conversation became too serious, he would always change the subject. I didn't want to pry onto his privacy, but it only made me more curious. He was still holding onto his dog- tag necklace as I told him about what I had done. He nodded with a growing a smile, but I could still see a trace of fear from earlier… And even a sense of relief. There was something Nick Grey was hiding from me… And I just had to figure out what.

* * *

I woke up the next morning to rustling outside the tent. I sat up alarmed and wiped all signs of grogginess from my eyes. Looming shadows were standing outside my tent, and I heard soft whispers echoing outside.

I stood up quietly trying to sneak out of the tent. As I made my escape out I slammed into someone else. And it was Nick. And he was holding a birthday cake.

Or at least something that used to be a birthday cake. Now frosting was smashed between me and him. "Woops," he laughed as he saw our frosting- covered shirts. "Miles You were supposed to wait in there for US to surprise YOU."

"What's going on?" I asked dazed. I saw my mom poke out of the corner holding a box of presents. Realization swept over me.

"C'mon, Miles. Don't tell me you forgot your own birthday."

I blushed and finally broke into laughter. "Um… I didn't forget my own birthday." Nick grinned as he wrapped me into a huge hug which also caused more frosting to smear on my shirt.

"Nick," I squealed as I jumped away. "You totally did that on purpose."

"What?" he smirked innocently. "Did what on purpose?" he asked as he took pieces from the left over cake and threw it at me. The piece hit me directly in the shoulder as the frosting dripped off me. I shrieked laughing as I wiped frosting off me and ran after him trying to smudge as much frosting on him as possible. By the end of the 'war', both of us were covered head to toe in frosting and our smiled couldn't have been any bigger.

"Open your presents," my mom laughed. She handed over a small box. "This one's mine." I opened the box carefully, neatly peeling off each layer of wrapping paper. That was just me. Inside, I found a camera. An EXPENSIVE professional camera.

"Mom," I gasped as I looked up to meet her proud eyes. "How could you afford this?"

"Never mind about that, honey. Do you like it?"

I gaped at the present in front of me. "Um. YES!" I wiped the left- over frosting in my hand as I picked up the camera. It was a plain black, but it was beautiful. "Mom. I love it."

She walked over and wrapped an arm around me carefully, trying not to get frosting on herself. "Well, I know you love photography, and I thought it'd be perfect." I stood up with the camera still in my hand and I held it up in front of me.

"Now who wants to be in my first picture?" I laughed as I held it around to capture everyone.

"Not me," Nick laughed as he looked at his cake- covered shirt. I smirked and held the camera towards him.

"You shouldn't have said that, Nick Grey," I laughed as I clicked and captured him with his hands in front of him as if hiding. After I took the picture, he grabbed me by the waist and picked me up.

"Wait," my mom laughed. She picked up the camera and held it in front of us. She pressed down and captured the moment; me in his arms; both of us with frosting covered smiles. "Perfect."

After we all ate whatever was left of the cake, I stood up to help my mom with throwing the left- overs away. "Hey mom. Need help?"

"No, missy. It's your birthday," she shoo'd me away. I stood there awkwardly.

"So did, um," I mumbled. "Did Dad call?"

She sighed as she wiped her hands on her pants refusing to look at me. "Sorry, hun. Not yet." I nodded disappointedly. I wasn't expecting him to call, but I always hoped. Always. He might have left us for another family, but that didn't mean he didn't love us. Mom always told me to forget, but I can't. It's not that easy. Growing up, he was my best friend. I can't let go just like that. The day that he left, I didn't even realize it. I was only 7. When he didn't show up at dinner, Mom told me he went on a trip… She didn't tell me it was going to be permanent. My mom didn't cry. She didn't scream. She didn't say anything. She didn't speak at all for the next few months. And honestly, the silence was scarier than screaming or crying. Who knew that silence could ever be so damn loud.

The night that I finally realized he wasn't coming back, I didn't cry. I don't know why. Maybe my tears were stuck. All I remember is sitting down on my bedroom floor staring at the wall where we engraved out initials. My dad's in strong bold letters, my mom's in a smooth cursive, and finally mine, short and messy. It was ours, and it was all I had left from him. All I had left from the family we had once been.

I looked up and saw my mom looking pale, the way she always was when I mentioned Dad. "Smile," I said as I lifted the camera. She looked up surprised and embarrassed as she blushed red. After taking the picture, I leaned forward and hugged her. "Thanks, mom."

"No problem," she whispered back. A short cough sounded behind us. Nick stood there with his movie- star grin again, the one I absolutely hated at times. "Excuse me, . May I borrow your daughter for the afternoon."

I laughed. Of course. He only used that grin to get something. "Of course," my mom finally smiled. I turned towards her to make sure she was okay. We always spent birthdays together. "It's fine. Go."

I turned around and walked towards Nick. "Don't you want to change your shirt first?" He shrugged.

"It's not the first time you stained a shirt," he smirked. He kept one hand around my waist as we walked towards the passage. A place that I had gotten so used to in the last few weeks. Inside the passage were equipment.

"What's all this for?"

"You always said you wanted to do something dangerous and life- threatening before you reach 18. And a few hours late shouldn't be much of a problem." He had already begun to tie on a parachute on his back.

I shook my head in disbelief. "You are NOT serious. I'm not going to kill myself!"

Nick laughed amused. "You are not going to kill yourself, Mi. Well, not if you wear this." He handed me my own parachute and I held it confused.

"I still don't get it."

After strapping himself, he started helping my put on my own equiptment. "We're jumping off this ledge."

"Why?"

"Because it's my present to you."

"You are not serious," I laughed as I stepped back, farther from the ledge.

"Completely serious," he said. "You're the one that told me you wanted to do something that would be dangerous. You said you were tired of living under a shell. YOU said you wanted to do something that would make you scream, laugh, and cry all at once; something you would remember for the rest of your life."

"I didn't mean to commit suicide!"

"C'mon, Miles. Actually live for the moment"

I bit my lip. It was true. I did tell him that I wanted to do something completely spontaneous. I just didn't think he'd put my words to action. And if this really was his present, I couldn't turn it down. And honestly, the thought of jumping off a cliff was almost exhilarating. Maybe it wouldn't be that bad. Just jumping of a cliff that could kill me and end my life right here. No big deal.

"Wait," he whispered as he grabbed for something around his neck. "Have this." He opened his palm to reveal his dog- tag necklace. "It gave me the strength I needed." I reached forward and wrapped my hand around the warm platinum. I had no idea on the history on it, but I knew it was important to him, and at that moment, it was all that mattered.

After putting on all my gear, I wrapped one hand around the dog- tag settled around my neck, and the other entangled with Nick's own fingers.

"Ready?" he whispered as we stepped up to the ledge. I squeezed my eyes shut, but decided on keeping them open. I had to see everything.

"5...

4...

3...

2...

1..."

And I jumped.


	8. Chapter 7: I Don't Dance

I made my way into Nick's trailer, sighing as the cool air touched my skin. I sighed in bliss as I collapsed on his couch (AKA softest couch I have EVER felt). I closed my eyes ready for a nap, like I always did every afternoon when sneaking into his trailer, but a low murmuring of voices caught my attention. I silently crept up to the source of the noise and found the bathroom door half open. I peeked inside and found Nick in front of the mirror rehearsing his lines. I instantly recognized it as _Julius Caesar_. He has been telling me about it last night. He had called it 'the role that was made for him', but instead he acted as if he was made for the role. Honestly, the characters of Nick and Julius Caesar weren't that different. They were both dark and brooding characters who owned the many privileges in life. The minute Nick had gotten that script, a new spark had formed in his eyes. He suddenly had so much more to say.

But as I stared into the reflection in the bathroom mirror, I didn't see Nick Grey at all. Not even a hint. And that scared me. His eyes were gray and swollen as if he had been crying for centuries. His mouth was curled into an almost animated smirk, and his hair was tousled in messy waves as if he had been running his fingers through them all day. This was not Nick Grey standing in front of me. This was Julius Caesar.

His voice bellowed out in almost a growl as he delivered his lines, almost not looking at the script in front of him at all. His tone was dominant and powerful as if he had owned the Earth. I took a closer look at his body language too. His shoulders stretched out almost twice as large as usual, he stood up taller and prouder, but his eyes… Beneath his regular hazel eyes, a deep gray almost seemed to settle. His eyes were so dark and almost eerie. It scared me to even look. A loud boom of authority that erupted from Nick's mouth shook me and caused me to fall forward, causing the door to creak. He turned around instantly, his eyes still blazing from the script. They looked almost wild. For a second, I thought I was standing in front of a stranger; a stranger that was going to hurt me. But in the same second the stranger glared at me, he changed back into an exhausted but grinning Nick Grey.

"Miles," he smiled as he came over to wrap me into a hug. I leaned on him still shaking from what I had seen. It was almost scary how much he could transform into a completely different character. And it urged the question in my mind; _did I even really know the real Nick Grey at all?_

* * *

It was one of the final days on set, and everyone had gathered up for a small party. (Well, I couldn't call it much of a party, since we were in the middle of a desert. But we did what we could do.) A small stereo was hooked up as music radiated around. Set lights were hung above them, almost as if imitating the stars, and a buffet of food was set out for everyone to eat. Everyone showed up with their best attire and I was stuck there in my regular shorts and tank top.

Suddenly, small delicate fingers grasped my arms. Next thing I know, Selena Jansen is dragging me off.

"What are you doing?" I spat out confused. "Kidnapping me?"

She took a second to smirk before answering. "You really think I'd kidnap you?"

"Then where are you taking me?"

"Okay," she sighed waiting for me to calm down. "I'm taking you to my trailer so I can pick you out something nicer to wear. If my Ex is going to choose you, you need to at least be… presentable."

I felt offended, but pushed it back deciding not to argue. There was no getting around with her. She sat me down on a futon couch as she rummaged around a hallway closet, though it looked more like a room than a closet. As she rummaged through piles and piles of clothing she called out, "So how'd you get my Nicky's attention? Not a hard thing to do. I think you're the first person he's even looked at ever since," she paused for a moment as she cleared her throat. "Ever since the break- up."

I looked up surprised and caught the eye of Selena. Not THE Selena Jansen, but just Selena. There was a vulnerability about her that suddenly revealed itself as her mind seemed to wander. Her hands paused for a short second on the clothing rack as if lost in her own thoughts, but she quickly shook her head and blushed from the moment of vulnerability. Here, standing before me, was a girl that half the world had labeled 'perfect', and that must have been something difficult to live up to. Cameras followed her everywhere. She had nowhere to hide… not even in herself.

"Here," she finally exclaimed. She brought out a champagne colored dress and handed it to me delicately. I felt the material; silk. "I can't wear this."

"Yeah. You can."

"This must be expensive. Really expensive. And I'm not very… clean or as most people would call, elegant."

She laughed. "Oh, I know. But it's old anyway. Now go try it on before I change my mind. I'll be changing into my own dress in the guest bathroom."

"You have TWO bathrooms?" I asked. She raised an eyebrow as if asking, What's your point?, but I smirked and slipped into the bathroom before I could make a side- comment. I carefully slipped into the silk dress, scared as if the material would melt between my fingers. The dress fit around my slim figure closely. Awkwardly, I stepped out and found Selena already in her own dress, a scarlet mini- dress that emphasized her long legs. Her hair was pulled back to one shoulder, and she was wearing a pair of matching stilettos that I had only seen in fashion magazines. She truly looked the part.

I almost felt uncomfortable standing next to someone like her. I felt intimidated as she finally came to face me. Her mouth opened as if she were about to say something, but instead she closed it and grinned. "I knew it. I sure can pick dresses."

I stood there awkwardly as she came closer and fixed the sides of the dress. "Do I look okay?"

"Um, honey," she said as she led me to a floor length mirror. Looking at my reflection reminded me of my encounter with Nick earlier today. I didn't see me at all. As I stared into the mirror, I saw a girl, a beautiful girl wrapped in a knee- length champagne chiffon dress that hugged her hips perfectly. Her shoulders were straight and narrow as long slim arms escaped from the top. Waves and waves of chestnut hair cascaded down her back, and her gray eyes seemed to stare back at me with an almost exotic gaze. This girl in front of me was beautiful. This girl in front of me was me.

"Told you so," Selena smirked. She stood next to me looking at herself in the mirror. I felt so much more significant as I stood next to her. I almost forgot that she was a high- fashion celebrity, and I was just a teenager. In that moment, we were equal. No differences between us. "Now come on. I love being fashionably late, but I rather enjoy the party before it ends." She snapped her fingers and tossed her glossed hair behind her back. I laughed to myself at her 'diva' attitude and followed. As we entered the party, I felt as if the room was holding its breath. Everyone's eyes were turned towards us. And it wasn't just towards Selena, but towards me too. Some stared with complete awe and others with complete jealousy. I blushed from the attention, but Selena walked through the crowd as if she didn't notice their looks.

"Wow," I sighed as we finally made it to the buffet tables.

"What?"

"Nothing. I'm just not used to all this people noticing me."

Selena smiled as she fixed her make- up. "Well, get used to it. Being stared at comes with the package of being with Nick Grey."

I looked up still feeling some lingering glances. I started imagining how my life would change from all of this. I hadn't thought of the impact one relationship could have on my life. He might have just been Nick, the soft- hearted curly haired boy who liked to watch the stars, to me, but to the rest of the world, he was the world- famous actor who loved partying, fancy cars, and his fans. Once the word got out that Nick Grey was no longer single, cameras would come. Fame would come. I would be famous…

"Here's a tip," Selena noted. "When people stare, act as if you don't notice. As if you had better things to do. As if you had no care in the world to what they thought or said about you."

I nodded and took a sip from a glass of water laid on the table. "Any more tips, oh- great- one?"

Selena rolled her eyes. "Just… just be careful, okay? Fame isn't as easy as it looks." She took her own glass of water before looking up. "Talking about looks…"

I turned around and found Nick on the other end of the dance floor with his hands in his pockets. He was wearing a suit, but his sleeves were rolled up causing it to look more casual. His curls seemed almost shinier, but it was still in its regular messy array. He had a small grin on his face as his eyes locked on mine. Slowly, he made his way across the dance floor until he was standing right in front of me.

"Well well, Miley Stewart," he sighed as he wrapped an arm around my waist. "Don't you look beautiful tonight." He stared at me for a second, not in a disrespectful way, but rather in a state of awe and wonder.

"You don't look too bad yourself," I said as I wrapped my hands around his tie, straightening it out for him. Selena coughed awkwardly behind us.

"So Nick, I can see you couldn't tame that mane of yours," she smirked as she nudged towards his curls. He laughed softly and looked at me.

"I like it," I grinned as I ran my fingers through them. "It's more… you." He laughed and wrapped an arm around my back.

"Congratulations on the last scene, by the way," I added. "I was truly astonished, Nick Grey."

He smirked. "Why do you sound so surprised?" Selena slapped him on the shoulder.

"C'mon, big boy. Let's dance," she offered looking at me for approval. I shrugged my shoulders, but Nick shook his head.

"I don't dance… At all. You should know that, Sel," he grinned. I saw Selena sigh in defeat as she went around looking for another dance partner.

"So the great Nick Grey doesn't dance, huh?"

"Nope."

"Interesting," I smirked. He raised a teasing eyebrow at me, but I shrugged my shoulders. He reached out a hand and took the necklace between his palms. "You're still wearing it."

"I haven't taken it off since," I confessed as I wrapped my own hand over his. The dog- tag necklace hung down my neck almost naturally.

"It matches you," he smiled softly. "You want to go for a walk?" I smiled in relief, and nodded. As we walked across set, I eventually took my heels off. Heels + sand + stroll = NO. I turned to look up at him. He looked almost eerily beautiful under the moonlight. A smile was playing on his lips as he curls fell over his eyes almost perfectly.

"Wait," I smiled as I went through my purse. Eventually, I took out my camera. "Stand there for a minute," I said as I centered the camera towards him. He stood there with his hands in his pockets, and that 'grin' as if he were a pro. "Wow," I said sarcastically.

His smile wavered for a second before he realized I was joking. "Shut up," he said as he tackled me softly on the sand removing the camera out of my hand. His hand came up to stroke my hair.

"Sorry to ruin your dress," he whispered. I looked down and saw the dress completely covered in sand. I laughed and told him it wasn't mine anyway. For the next hour we stayed like that, lying on the sand, and just talking about whatever was on our minds. It felt peaceful. After a few minutes, I heard the voices from the party quieting down. It must have been getting late. I stood up wiping off as much sand off the dress as possible and walked back to set.

"What are you doing?" he called out following me.

"I want to get at least one dance before the night ends," I explained as I made my way back, but he pulled me towards him. He awkwardly held his hands to mine and wrapped one arm around my back. In one moment, we were swaying back and forth.

"I thought you didn't dance," I looked up to look him in the eye.

He smiled back and continued moving, wrapping his hold on me even tighter.

"I don't."


	9. Chapter 8: You Know Where to Find Me

The first words that entered my mind when I woke up the next morning were, "2 more days." That was all I had left with him. Then I'd go back to New York, unnoticed and insignificant. I made my way out of my tent, leaving behind my mom who was still sleeping. She had already finished her job, but we were allowed to stay on set until the last day of shooting. The sun wasn't fully out yet, and I ran towards the passage to make sure I was able to catch it. I swept back my hair in a loose ponytail, and tied up my sneakers quickly. I wasn't going to miss this.

I ran and ran and ran until I lost my breath. By the time, I made it to the passage entrance, I slipped through and found out I wasn't alone. Nick turned around and smiled as he saw me approach.

"I knew you'd come," he said. He wrapped an arm across my waist as I took the seat next to him. I sighed and leaned my head against his shoulder forgetting the limited time we would have together. Instead I looked up and watched light spill over the waves of sand, the warmth that stole away the darkness for safe keeping; and the light that released the moment dawn broke.

We stayed silent as we watched the sun slowly rise to take the moon's spot. Almost reflexively, I stood up slowly and walked up to the edge of the rock, closing my eyes, and reaching my fingers out to touch the rays of light.

I turned around and meet Nick's hazel eyes and soft smile.

"What?" I asked.

"Don't move," Nick whispered. "Right now, everything is perfect."

* * *

"Miley!" Selena called out as I was making my way back to my tent. I turned around confused.

"Um… yeah?"

"Where are you going?" she asked with a grin. It reminded me of Nick's movie- star grin; the one that he flashed and the whole world would stop.

"Um. Back to my tent," I turned around tired of the awkward conversation, but she pulled me back by the arm.

"Don't you want to hang out? Like girl to girl time?"

I raised an 'are you serious' eyebrow. Finally after sighing I asked, "Why are you doing this?"

Her false smile wavered for a second, but she plastered it on before anyone could notice. "Well, me and Nick are… friends right now and I think I should get to know whoever Nick's 'friends' are," she explained. She made sure to emphasize 'friends' as if she couldn't handle saying anything more.

After standing there in silence from not accepting her answer she finally sighed. "Do you want to hang out or not?" She eyed my tent. "C'mon. That or me. At least my trailer has air conditioning," she smirked. "And a mini- fridge."

I finally smirked. "Okay. But only for that."

Selena's teasing grin finally transformed into something more sentimental. "Fine." After a short walk to her trailer, I settled myself on the same couch I had sat on last night. She took a seat on the opposite chair as she tucked her feet underneath her lap.

"So…" I said awkwardly. My words seemed to echo inside the trailer.

"So…" Selena mimicked. Almost reflexively, I giggled. Finally I started the conversation. "What's your story?" I asked as I mimicked Nick's words.

"What do you mean?" she asked.

"Everyone has a beginning, middle, and an end. What's yours?"

"Hm," she sighed as she tapped her fingers on the chair's arms. "I guess my beginning would be when I got my first modeling gig. Middle is when I won a Grammy last year, and end… I'm not sure," she explained.

I shook my head. "There's nothing else?"

She shrugged as she pulled her waves of platinum chestnut hair, the same color as Nick's, and tied it in a neat bun. "So enough about me, how'd you and Nick meet?"

"On set," I explained awkwardly. I wondered if I should be telling her these details. I mean, she used to date him.

"Well, duh," she rolled her eyes mockingly. I snapped my mouth shut, but her eyes softened again. "Sorry. Go on."

"Well to be honest, the first time I met him, he pushed me over."

"He pushed you over?"

"Yup. Fell butt first on the sand."

"And you decided to fall in love with him because… he pushed you in the sand?"

"No," I laughed quietly. "Actually, I thought I hated him. He had this smug expression as if he thought he was above the world." Selena nodded knowingly.

"And later, I was walking past his rehearsal set and he asked me to get him a bottle of water," I explained. "And I was kind of um… annoyed, and poured it all over him."

Selena stared at me with her mouth gaped open before breaking into fits and fits of laughter. I took a moment before laughing. "What?"

"It's… just" she tried explaining through giggles. "I wish I could have seen his face," she finally laughed.

A snort escaped her perfect lips and she paused ashamed from the slip of imperfection. She stared gravely at me as if her life was hanging by a thread. I almost felt sorry for her. Every event, every interview, every corner, she was expected to be perfect. When I looked into her eyes, I thought of the stars. Fame didn't last, and the minute people noticed that what they thought was perfect… wasn't, they'd take it all away. They would take everything away. As I looked into the 'great' Selena Jansen's eyes, I realized that she wasn't any different from me. She was a girl who loved something, who lost something, and who feared something. She was just Selena Jansen.

She had brought her gaze to the floor embarrassed, as I broke out into a soft laughter and accidentally slipping out a short snort of my own. Selena looked up and grinned as she also laughed. After finally calming down, Selena turned to look at me. "I think I see what Nick fell for," she whispered. "You're different. Definitely different."

I blushed not knowing whether it was a compliment or not. "Listen, I'm leaving set today. I have to fly to LA for a benefit concert. That's why I called you in here. I wanted to have one honest conversation."

She stood up and picked up her bags and luggage behind her bed. "You're going right now?"

She nodded with a sad smile. At that exact moment, Nick walked in and I swear the room shone a little brighter. His eyes were shining and his curls were falling on his forehead. "Hey, Selena. Just wanted to say bye before you go." He turned around and saw me. "Miles? What are you doing here?"

"We were having some girl talk," she answered before I could explain.

"Should I be scared?" Nick laughed as he raised a mocking eyebrow. Both me and Selena laughed as we shrugged innocently. "Well, bye, Sel." He leaned forward and gave her a simple hug and I could tell from the sense of peacefulness in her face she still loved him, and I think she always will. She sighed almost disappointedly as she pulled away from his embrace. "I'll see you in LA then?" she asked.

"Yeah. Sure," she smiled as he took her bags for her. I watched as Selena stared at Nick leave. Her eyes were swollen with defeat as she accepted he was no longer hers.

"Bye, Miley," she finally said as she picked up her final bag. "It was nice to meet you." I stood up awkwardly not knowing if I should lean in for a hug or not. We eventually settled for a handshake.

"Bye, Selena," I smiled softly. As she made her way to the trailer door she turned around to take one last look at me.

"Don't break his heart," she whispered softly.

"Like you did?" I stated with pure honesty. Selena looked down at her hands for a few seconds as her mind seemed to wander from where she was standing.

"Yeah. Exactly," she finally whispered as she opened the door and stepped out into the desert air, finally making her way back home.

* * *

On my last day on set, I expected tear and tragic goodbyes and depressing moods.

I was right.

Actors along with camera and make- up crews said their final goodbyes as they prepared to leave; some probably never seeing each other again. Mom was off saying goodbye to a few friends she had made, and I busied myself with taking as much pictures as possible. Ever since the camera, photography became almost an obsession.

"Smile," I called out as I brought the camera to face a group of supporting actors and actresses. Their arms were around each other as if they had been long- time friends instead of meeting only weeks ago. I took turns going around each group taking as much pictures as possible. By the end of the day, I had gone through more than half of my film, and I still felt unfinished. It was amazing how much you could capture in a 4x4 screen. I suddenly noticed that I hadn't seen Nick all day. I went around asking for him, but no one seemed to know either.

"Hunny. Are your things ready?" my Mom called out from the jeep.

I nodded. "Wait a minute." I couldn't go without at least a goodbye. Even if it was a summer romance, as most would call, I needed closure. And I had so much more to say before he would leave me forever. Life was not much more different than a movie scene. You only had one clean- cut version. Take it or leave it, but you could always watch it over and over again. You could always re-live it; Memories stayed with you forever.

Eventually, I gave up the search and walked back to the truck in defeat. "Miles, I think someone's looking for you," my Mom smiled as she pointed behind me. I turned around and found Nick waiting across the lot with his hands jammed into his pockets. His curls were in a chaotic mess, and his eyes were exhausted. He looked as if he hadn't gotten any sleep. I walked towards him at first, but by the time I was half- way there, I broke into a sprint. I crashed into his arms and leaned my body on him. I shut my eyes, still telling myself that these past two weeks were a dream, but Nick's steady heart- beat under my cheek brought me back to reality. Nick brought a hand to stroke my hair, as he murmured my name soothingly. I was going to miss this. When I got back home, I'd be surrounded by the regular mass of students and citizens, endless college applications, and family problems. A lot of family problems. That's what happened when you lived in a small town. It was almost suffocating.

After pulling away, my hand grasped onto his dog tag necklace which hadn't left my neck since the moment he had given it to me. "Here," I started as I pulled it off my neck, but Nick stopped me.

"Keep it." He grasped the platinum in his palm for a second before finally releasing it back to me. After endless staring, I leaned forward and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek, afraid of breaking into tears if we had done anything else. He smiled, a real smile, and leaned forward to press his lips on my forehead. "You know where to find me."

I smiled into his chest before finally breaking apart. I opened my mouth to say goodbye, but closed it again. It was going to be too hard. He nodded as if he already understood. He ran his hands through his hair and put his hands back into his pockets. "I'm sorry. I suck at goodbyes."

I laughed as I looked down. "Nick Grey; doesn't dance, sucks at goodbyes. Anything else I need to know?"

He shrugged and laughed. "Miley Stewart; loves photography, likes to ruin my shirts, fearless, beautiful. Did I get that right?"

I grinned and sighed. He brought his gaze to mine and his movie- star grin returned. "So. Did you keep your promise?" I raised a questioning eyebrow, confused. "Are you officially a fan of mine?" he grinned.

"Hm," I smiled remembering. "I'll have to think about that."

I waited a beat of silence before asking, "Did you keep your promise?"

He raised his own confused eyebrow.

"Forever," I reminded him shyly. He stepped forward shyly and kissed my forehead.

"Hm. I'll have to think about that," he grinned teasingly. I looked up surprised and broke into a smirk. I turned around to find my mom waiting patiently. Finally, I turned back around to face Nick. This was it.

"It was nice meeting you, Nick Grey."

"I love you, Miley Stewart."

I stood there frozen, replaying the words in my mind. He smiled shyly as he watched my eyes widen. I opened my mouth to say something, but I was lost for words. Nick Grey just told me he loved me… he loved me… loved me. Before I could say anything else, he moved forward and kissed me. I took in his familiar scent as his words replayed in my head the entire time.

By the time we pulled away, he was already walking away. He didn't look back once.

Dazed, I finally turned around, both of us walking to our own different cars, to our own different lives, to our two different worlds.

"I love you," I finally whispered, but he was too far away to have even heard me.


	10. Chapter 9: Home Sweet Home

**A.N: Yes There is more to the story. I couldn't just leave it like that. Hahaa. And thanks for those who write reviews. I always love reading your feedback. So for those who are my silent readers, try reviewing :) Thanks for those reading and enjoy the next few chapter. They're all already written, so they'll be uploaded pretty quick. But I'm only uploading one new chapter per day. :)**

* * *

"Home," I whispered as I set my bags down on the carpeted floor. I snuggled my toes into the warm familiar material and took a deep sighed, breathing in the familiar scent of vanilla and Lysol.

"C'mon, honey. What do you want to eat?" It was almost 8 at night. Suddenly, my stomach dropped. It would be the first time I wouldn't be eating dinner with Nick in a long long time. There would be no watching the stars, no night- long conversations, no comfort. I shook my head, and told her I was too tired to eat. Trudging back upstairs I found my room exactly like I left it. Spacious, and messy. I took everything out of my canvas bag; sketch book, camera, and finally a shirt. It was the shirt I had worn on my birthday. I still hadn't washed it, and the frosting stains were still freshly coated as if it was just added on yesterday. I smiled and walked up to my closet and found an empty box, I didn't know I had. I folded it up, unwashed, and placed it in the box for safe keeping. It was one of the only things I had left from him. Instinctively, my hands grasped around the dog tag necklace, and his final words to me played through my head. Nick Grey loved me. No. Nick. My Nick loved me. I lied down on my bed and started wondering if Nick was doing the same thing in LA. He was probably asleep by now, or partying, or doing whatever he usually did. Or maybe he was doing the same exact thing I was doing; lying in bed and thinking about each other. I could imagine his curls in its regular messy state, his movie- star grin being flashed in every direction. I could picture his eyes, exhausted yet still somehow sarcastic and teasing.

Wow. I had only been home for the last 10 minutes, and he was already on my mind. I shook away my thoughts and tried going to sleep. I couldn't let myself love him… Did I love him? I thought I did when I was standing there saying goodbye, but he'd never know anyway. And now we were miles apart, and it wouldn't change things. He would continue his life as if I hadn't existed. Fame was an easy replacement for me. He had said forever, but I learned to never get my hopes up the day my dad didn't come back for us. The day he didn't even get to say goodbye. Life taught me one thing: The higher you build your hopes, the harder they'll fall.

The only problem was that my hopes were still under construction; not knowing what to do but wait.

* * *

I woke up to the noise of a loud ringing. The doorbell. I groaned and wiped my eyes frustrated. Let me just take a second to say that I am NOT a morning person. I picked myself out of bed, knowing that Mom was probably out for a jog or doing SOMETHING to keep her busy. That was her escape; work.

Whoever was at the door seemed to have a lack of patience as they kept ringing and ringing and ringing the doorbell over and over again. "Calm down!" I screamed. "I'm coming." I jogged down the flight of stairs already pissed. What a great way to start off my first day back in town.

"Well, hurry your butt up faster, Stewart," a familiar voice laughed. I opened the door quickly and was welcomed into the arms of my best friend, Lucas Tiller. "How'd ya miss me?" He rubbed the top of my head with his palm teasingly, and I broke into a smile. Lucas Tiller and I have known each other since birth. We had taken our first steps together, took our first swimming lessons together, even took our first baths together. He was also there when my parents had gotten a divorce. He was MY escape when I needed a place to stay. He was my best and only friend.

He was also what most girls in school called, '_a hottie_'. Dark blonde waves of hair fell onto his fore head, a chiseled face and high cheek bones, a clear defined jaw, and a model- body. (Not that I notice that stuff about him.) To me he was just Lucas; the guy who was always there to make me laugh by tackling me on the ground and tickling me until I cried. He was a football player, basketball player, tennis player, a member of the track team, President of the high school council, and he was a good Christian boy too. He had friendly blue eyes, a soft curling smile, and probably one of the purest hearts the world will ever know. To the town, he was the definition of perfect.

"Lucas," I smiled as I took in his familiar scent. "I missed you."

"So how was good ol' Egypt? Did you ride a camel?"

"No camels," I smiled.

"So did your mom find anything interesting? New ancient cities? Artifacts? Mummies?" he smiled. He also had an interest in history and archeology. That's why I tried keeping him away from Mom almost half the time. I couldn't handle another boring discussion about the ancient Kush Empire.

"Actually, about that," I coughed. "We kind of didn't go on an expedition trip."

He cocked his head to the side confused. "Then what have you been doing all summer?"

"Well," I sighed readying myself to re-tell the story. "Mom was hired to inspire these actors on this movie set."

"What movie?"

"Before the Storm."

"Any famous actors?" he asked.

I shrugged innocently. "No one special. Just Jason Lewis, Sam Draine, Nick Grey, Laura-"

"Hold up," Lucas stopped me. "Did you just say Nick Grey? As in THE Nick Grey? As in this town's obsession, Nick Grey?"

I cleared my throat awkwardly. "Yeah. That one."

He broke out into laughter. "That must have been hilarious. Is he as bad as he looks?"

"What do you mean?"

"Like, conceited? Break- downs on set? Screaming? Pushy? Was he the perfect stereotype for a movie- star?"

"Um. No. He was okay," I explained trying to defend him, but not too much to sound suspicious.

"I hate that guy," Lucas grinned. "He thinks he's all that. EVERYONE in this town thinks he's all that. He's a little too into himself if you ask me, don't you think?"

My mouth was glued shut and I settled on a simple shrug. I couldn't say anything bad about him. Nick really did surprise me from what I expected. He was sweet, and caring, and he actually listened to me. He understood me. But on the other hand, if I defended him, Lucas would think I had become one of them. The 'Nick Grey' clones as we called them. Before leaving for the trip, we had always laughed at their obsessions. Who ever knew that I, someone who laughed at him, would end up meeting him, falling in love with him! Lucas was all I had left of comfort at home. I couldn't lose him.

"So, what's been happening around town while I was gone?" I asked changing the subject. He bit his lip trying to remember.

"Oh yeah," he grinned. "Jenifer dyed her hair back to blonde."

I slapped him on the shoulder. "No. Real news, please."

"Um, would getting into UCLA for a football scholarship be counted as news?"

I stood there mouth open. Lucas was accepted into UCLA! I was about to jump up and hug him congratulations, but another thought struck me first. He would be leaving me. I was going to be stuck in Virginia by myself. He would be across the country in California, and I would still be here. "I'm happy for you," I choked out.

He smiled, too excited to notice the quiver in my voice. "Yeah. Can you believe it, Mi? California. I've been waiting to get out of this town for years." Me too, I said in my head as I cast my gaze to the floor. Suddenly he noticed my lack of enthusiasm and brought his hand on my shoulder.

"Don't worry, Miles. We're still going to be best friends. We made that promise a long time ago."

"Yes. But we also promised that we'd grow up to be ducks when we were 5, Lucas. Not going to happen."

He laughed as he ran a hand through his hair. "Well, where are you going to school? Didn't you apply to an Art School in California?"

I shrugged. "Yeah. But I doubt they're going to let me in. I have no experience at all."

"But you're talented, Miles. You'll figure it out. And if you do get into that school, I swear to visit you every day," he smiled as he held up his hand in a mocking swear.

"Mhm," I laughed. I hugged him close finally realizing how much I missed his cheesy jokes of sarcasm that somehow made me smile. He was no Nick Grey, but he was all I had. And for now, that was enough.


	11. Chapter 10: Smiley Faces :

"So, what do you want to watch?" Lucas asked as we scanned the movie listings. We were in the main frame of this small town; the mall. Teenagers, to adults, to impatient toddlers surrounded us. I could smell the food court down the hall, and the shouts and laughs coming from the mall arcade. I looked up to see the familiar face of Lucas, his eyes shining, like it always did when he was concentrating.

"Hm, I don't know," I explained as I looked through the listings. "Are you in the mood for a comedy? Action? Romance?" I nudged him teasingly. He laughed and flipped his hair.

"Shut up."

"I'm just saying, Lucas. I know how much of a sucker you are for these kind of movies."

"Oh, I found the perfect movie," he laughed. He pointed to a new blockbuster called Stay, also known as Nick Grey's most recent movie. I coughed awkwardly. "You really want to watch that?"

Lucas smirked. "C'mon. It'll be fun. We can laugh at it together. I mean, Nick Grey, a cheesy romance. This is going to be fun." He rubbed his hands evilly. I forced myself a smirk, but shook my head.

"What about that new Cameron Diaz movie?" I asked, hoping he'd change his mind.

"Nah. Already watched it." He turned towards me, his eyes pleading. "C'mon, Miles. Please. For me." He turned his ocean blue eyes toward me, using that expression I absolutely hated. It almost reminded me of Nick's grin, the one he used to persuade everyone around him under his command. Lucas' building puppy dog eyes almost pushed me over to agreement… Nick rarely did that with me. His eyes never seemed to work, but Luca-

Crap. Why was I even comparing the two?

I pushed my palm on his face playfully. "Okay okay. Stop with the eyes. You know, I hate those."

"Exactly," he grinned as we bought tickets. We were on our way inside the theater when two girl voices sounded behind us."

"Lucas!" Jessica and Ashley waved behind us. Okay. Let me try explaining these two in one word: Blonde. They had long straight strawberry blonde hair, green blue eyes, and stick thin bodies that always seemed to be perfectly tan. They shared everything, Clothes, money, guys, popularity, and brains. They were basically long lost twins. Oh, and one more thing. They were absolutely in love, actually obsessed with Lucas.

I placed the fakest smile on my face and turned around to meet their hungry stares at his body. "What's up, Lukeey?" Jessica giggled as she ran her hands through his hair. "What are you doing here?" 'with her'. Well, she didn't really say the _with her_ part, but I could tell from her disapproving looks that she meant to. He set up his own fake smile. Most people wouldn't see it, but he hated how superficial some people acted, specifically Jessica and Ashley.

"Nothing, girls. Just watching a movie with Miley," he explained. They're flirt stares at him, suddenly turned to me with glares of envy.

"Miley," Ashley smiled. "Nice… um… shoes," she giggled as she stared at my beaten up converse. Jessica high- fived her blonde 'twin' and ran her hand through her waves of hair trying to look sexy (which she did, but still.) Lucas didn't seem to notice as he checked his phone for the time.

"Listen. We have to go catch our movie," he explained as he started dragging me away. "Oh and Ashley, nice dye job. You look good blonde," he smirked. Ashley grabbed her hair embarrassed.

"It's real!" she squealed grabbing her poorly dyed hair. I turned towards Lucas and mimicked their girly high- fives. We walked into the theater as I tried to remember the last time I had ever laughed this much.

We settled into our chairs still laughing over our encounter with the blonde clones. Suddenly the lights dimmed and the movie started. The opening scene was a flashback of someone dying. Suddenly, the opening credits flew in as the landscape of New York City was displayed. A few minutes later, Nick's face was focused on the screen. I watched in awe as I took in his hazel eyes, his soft curls, his toe- curling voice. Every inch of memory from the past weeks with him slammed into the front of mind, and soon I wasn't watching the movie at all, but rather re- living reality in my head.

"Miley? You okay?" Lucas nudged me quietly. "You look kind of out of it. Don't tell me you're bored already."

I forced a smile. "Nah. Sorry, just thinking about some stuff."

He nodded still not believing my answer, but turned around to face the screen again. I focused my attention to the movie, pushing every bit of memory into the farthest corner of my mind. I couldn't handle it right now. Instead I stared up at the pixilated version of Nick as he nailed every line and facial expression like a pro, the Nick that I would never have.

It felt so different to see him on the big screen. I mean, it wasn't my first time watching a movie of his, but after finally getting to know him, it felt so different. I knew what his favorite song, his favorite color, his favorite pizza topping, his favorite letter; something everyone else in the theater never got the chance to know. It was amazing to think that I had spent the last two weeks with the actor in front of me (or rather the screen in front of me) I looked around the theater and watched the audience's awe- struck faces. They all had their attention directly focused on every word and action that came from the great Nick Grey. It was nothing like what I had seen during rehearsal, not even through shooting. This Nick Grey was a high definition, full color, and final edited version. This wasn't him at all. This was whatever character he was trying to play next.

After an hour of the movie, there had been two kiss scenes, one break- up scene, one make- up scene, and another break- up scene. It was a pretty intense movie. I had to admit the storyline was pretty unoriginal, girl meets boy etc, but he made it work. His acting made up for it. I even think I heard Lucas sniff beside me.

"Did I hear what I think I just heard?" I teased as I nudged him. He smirked and nudged me back. I gigged and leaned my head on his shoulder. Not in a romantic way, but more in a comfortable way. That was how we were. We could act like what most people would call a couple, but between us we knew it was only for comfort and friendship. By the end of the movie, I was already holding in tears and my knees were weak from the emotion and power Nick was able to portray.

"So what'd you think?" I asked Lucas as we exited the theater.

He shrugged. "It was okay. Kind of cheesy if you ask me."

"I guess," I lied and swore to myself that I would come back to watch this movie again. My mind suddenly wandered to wondering to what Nick was doing at this exact moment; wondering what his reaction would be to me watching his movie. He'd probably tease me, I thought to myself.

"What?" Lucas asked me. I hadn't noticed I had laughed out loud.

"Nothing."

He raised an eyebrow. "You changed while you were gone. I can tell." I blushed embarrassed wondering if he had noticed my interest in the movie, or specifically Nick Grey.

"What do you mean, changed? How have I changed?"

Lucas shrugged. "I don't know. You're just… different."

"A lot happened to me there," I sighed. Lucas looked at me for a second as if trying to find a hint of the old Miley he had grown up with. At that moment, I really wondered how much I had changed over summer. It almost scared me.

"Aw. I think my little Stewart is finally growing up," Lucas finally broke into a grin. He rubbed the top of my head with the bottom of his palm (probably one of my biggest pet peeves).

"Shut up, Lucas. It's not my fault some of us take longer to mature. Cough cough."

Laughing, I jumped onto his back (which was kind of hard since he was almost a foot taller than me). "Now take me home!"

Lucas grinned as he piggy- back carried me out "Please remind me that we're 18."

"Ah," I sighed. "It's good to be home."

* * *

_**AIM**_

_xLukeTillx: Miles? You still up?_

_SmileyMiley15: Ya. Couldn't sleep._

_xLukeTillx: Wanna talk?_

_SmileyMiley15: About what?_

_xLukeTillx: Idk. You've had something on your mind lately. _

_xLukeTillx: I can tell these things you know._

_SmileyMiley15: Of course. Lucas Tiller; THE woman expert. _

_xLukeTillx: Got that right. ;)_

_SmileyMiley15: Hahaa. _

_SmileyMiley15: Can I ask you something?_

_xLukeTillx: Depends…_

_SmileyMiley15: Seriously…_

_SmileyMiley15: Remember that girlfriend you met when we vacationed in Miami two summers ago?_

_xLucasTillx: Sarah? Yeah. _

_SmileyMiley15: And remember when you were devastated when you guys officially broke it off? How do you do that?_

_xLucasTillx: What do you mean?_

_SmileyMiley15: Like… how did you get over that so easily? You loved her didn't you?_

It took Lucas a few minutes before finally answering.

_xLucasTillx: I did love her. _

_xLucasTillx: And it wasn't easy, Mi. Probably one of the hardest things I've had to go through._

_SmileyMiley15: But you're over her now._

_xLucasTillx: True. But that took a long long time before it finally stop hurting. _

_xLucasTillx: Time helps. You meet new people, live new experiences, & you move on. _

_SmileyMiley15: And it's over just like that? You forget everything?_

_xLucasTillx: No. I said you move on… I didn't say forget. _

_xLucasTillx: I don't think I can ever forget Sarah. She'll always be my first love I guess. _

_xLucasTillx: I might have moved on, but everything we did in Miami that summer sometimes still replays in my head… _

_SmileyMiley15: Oh._

_xLucasTillx: What's with all the question?_

_SmileyMiley15: Nothing. I was just curious. _

_SmileyMiley15: Oh, and I needed your expert women advice._

_xLucasTillx: Haha. Right._

_xLucasTillx: But you'll see what I mean when you meet your first love. _

My fingers stopped on the keyboard. It felt so wrong to lie to him. We had known each other for 17 years and the only times I had lied to him was to borrow his stuff or to get out of watching another boring football game. Relationships were a whole different matter. When Lucas had first met Sarah on the boardwalk that afternoon, the first thing he did was run and tell me. It was nothing like girl- girl talk with the comments such as , "TELL ME EVERYTHING!" "IS HE HOT?!" "DID HE KISS YOU?" Our talks were more honest and real. He told me everything about her. From the colored sandals she was wearing to the cherry coke she had been drinking when they had first met. He told me absolutely everything. And here I was, having the actual decency to lie to him about my relationship with Nick.

_SmileyMiley15: Right._

_xLucasTillx: So anymore questions for the Women Expert?_

_SmileyMiley15: Um… Can you go make me a strawberry smoothie? **:)**_

_xLucasTillx: Goodnight, Miley.** :)**  
_

_SmileyMiley15: Goodnight, Lukeyyyy.** :)**  
_

_xLucasTillx: The smiley faces are creeping me out. **:)**  
_

_SmileyMiley15: I will not stop til I receive my smoothie. Goodnight. **:)**  
_

_xLucasTillx: You are a strange breed Stewart.  
_

_xLucasTillx: P.S. you're not getting that smoothie. **:)**  
_

_xLucasTillx: -offline-_

_SmileyMiley15: -offline-_

I lay my head on the table with so much more questions in my head. What if I really loved him? What if I knew I would never move on? When did this feeling of loneliness leave? Would it ever? But somehow, out of the chaos in my mind, I was able find a corner of peace to slowly drift to sleep.

* * *

_**A/N: So I know most of you are asking. I'm just introducing you to her life back home.**_.. _**Maybe Nick will come back, maybe he won't. Hahaa. Be patient. Your answer will come in the next chapter which I'll probably upload tomorrow. :)**_

_**And if you're reading my stories please REVIEW! If you don't have an FF account at least reply me on my twitter .com/MileyNick123 or comment on my youtube page .com/ItsMileyNick123 I love reading feedback.  
**_

_**And thank you for reading. :)  
**_


	12. Chapter 11: Escape

The next day, I spent it with Lucas. AGAIN. I know. But that was how we were. We couldn't handle a few days without each other. I guess we were just making up for the time we had lost while I was at Egypt. Today, we were hanging out at the town center just eating and talking. It was amazing how much time we could waste.

He had gotten his regular burger with fries as I settled for a bag of Lays, which of course reminded me of Nick, but I pushed it away to the farthest corner of my mind and focused my attention on Lucas. He had changed while I was gone too. He seemed older. I guess both of us were. As we passed by store after store, there always seemed to be SOMEONE who just HAD TO talk to Lucas. We must have stopped 13 times so he could return a simple 'hey, what's up?'

"Move on, buddy," I said as I pushed him forward. I did not have the patience for this. He smirked as we continued onto the main social hang- out of the teenage world: The Food Court. The thing was, no one came to the food court for actual food. People came here to socialize. The joint was divided by cliques. The nerds and silent kids stayed back in a dirty unnoticed corner as if they found it their job to be no one in life; the skaters in the back flipping their identical long manes of shaggy brown hair out of their eyes; the geeks who were always behind the counter serving our burgers; the drugees who hid in the back corner of the joint playing around with a variety of pills and liquors as if just waiting for their lives to end; the cheerleaders who sat in the front flipping their silk blonde hair behind their shoulder and talking about themselves and people that would get them nowhere in life; the jocks that would boast about their winnings on the field (and off the field); the wannabe's who stood in a close enough distance staring and wishing, but never doing; and in the center of all this was the height of the social hierarchy itself, the populars.

Don't get me wrong. Lucas had a lot of friends in that group, but whenever he was with me, I was always the first priority. I never really fit into any clique. Lucas was the only friend I ever needed. And when his friends ever found a reason to tease me, Lucas was always there to defend me. Honestly, I would probably be dead in high school without him.

"Lucas!" Jackson Landon, the line backer of the football team, called out. Jackson Landon was a regular high school footballer. Big, buff, beefy, and sports obsessed. He had a buzz haircut that never, and I mean NEVER, seemed to grow. His face was puffy and swollen looking half the time from the acne that magically sprouted on his face in 8th grade, and his hands and eyes always seemed to roam in the most inappropriate places. Yet somehow half this god forsaken town wanted him. I really didn't get it.

Lucas and him are friends though, so I had to deal with him ever so often. He did call me hot once, which I'm guessing was a compliment. Closest thing I would probably ever get. Lucas moved towards their table, and I followed awkwardly as if I'd be intruding. I stopped mid-stride, but Lucas started pulling me forward. "Hey, guys."

"Hey," the blonde twins called out at the same time. I was really starting to think my 'share the same brain' theory was true. "So I heard you guys saw the new Nick Grey movie. He's so hot." The turned towards each other as they started babbling on about how 'sexy' Nick had acted in a scene. I giggled wondering how Nick would have reacted to these two. From hearing my escaped giggle, they turned towards me with glares of hate.

"Actually," Lucas grinned. "Miley met Ni-"

"No one," I finished for him. I did not want Jessica and Ashley to be hanging all over me with questions about Nick. I couldn't handle it. Trying to forget him was hard enough.

"Hey," Jackson called out to whom I think he was talking to me. "Yeah. Riley. Isn't your Mom some weird digger?"

I ignored the name mistake and nodded. I didn't feel like getting into an hour- long explanation on what an archeologist was. He shrugged the question off and wrapped a greasy arm around Ashley. Jessica laughed and leaned her perfectly tanned body closer to Lucas. "Can you please get me a smoothie, Lukey?" He cringed from the nickname she had recently given him, but stood up anyway. That was Lucas, the gentleman.

"So," Jessica smirked as she leaned closer to me. "You have a little smudge on your shirt," she said as she leaned forward and knocked all of her left- over fries on my shirt. I jumped back shocked as the entire teenage population broke out into laughter.

I usually didn't care what people thought, but my stained shirt, the overwhelming sound of laughter, the feeling of embarrassment, and the realization that I'd be stuck with these people for the rest of my life broke me down. I turned around to run away, but the next thing I knew was Lucas' arms around me, leading me out of the restaurant, and bringing me back home.

* * *

I stepped into the house and it was silent. I mean, the house is usually silent, but I couldn't even hear footsteps. I finally found my mom sitting at the dining table and staring at a stack of letters. Her eyes seemed glazed as if in shock and she was biting her lips as if she were nervous.

Instinctively, I stepped up to place a hand on her shoulder. "What's wrong, Mom?"

She shook her head and placed them in her hands. Finally after a few minutes, I decided to go back upstairs and let her handle whatever she was handling to herself. As I walked out the room I heard her sigh as if finally making a decision. "You got a postcard, Miles."

I opened my mouth to ask her from who, but she choked it out before I could ask. "It's from your dad." My first reaction was to run up to Mom and grab it out of her hand and read it over and over again until I had memorized it by heart, but my second reaction calmed me down and forced me to slowly take it from my mother's grasp and tiptoe back upstairs, letting my mom pull it together. The minute I was in my room, I flipped the thin postcard over and saw it had a picture of the Hollywood sign. I flipped it over to read the short message on the back.

_Happy Birthday, Miles. Sorry if I'm a little late, but work has got me busy. I hope you're doing great, and I wish you luck on your college applications. I've missed you, and was wondering if you'd like to visit me and Diane sometime here in California. Just think about it._

_ Love, _

_ Your- not- so- cool- Dad. _

I laughed to myself and felt tears starting to break through. I wasn't sad, but it was just kind of overwhelming. His postcards were rare, and the day he finally sent one he was offering to have me visit him. His past postcards had a simple greeting and how are you doing, but it never really involved a reply. I wondered if Mom read it. Next thing I knew, my question was answered.

Suddenly I heard a soft knock on my door. My mom slowly crept in with a somber look. "Listen Miles, I know what you're thinking, but I am not letting you go to your … father's house."

I sat up shocked. "But he INVITED me, Mom."

She shook her head. "Yes, and I don't know why. He knows the custody agreement. I have FULL custody. He can't just take you."

"Unless I want to!" I raised my voice. Why wouldn't she let me go? It was my choice wasn't it? She wasn't the only one who lost someone when he decided to leave us. I lost a father too. She might have trouble forgiving and forgetting, but I wasn't going to push away my own Dad just for a stupid grudge.

"Miley. You will do as I say. You are not going to visit your father. End of story." She stood up to exit the room, but I screamed out after her.

"I'm 18 now. I can do the damn hell whatever I want to do."

Mom's head snapped back as she bit her lip to control herself. "Miley Ray Stewart, you are staying. I refuse to hand you off to that man!" she finally screamed out. She stepped back as if surprised by her own words, and before she could say anything else she slipped out of the room, but I knew the fight wasn't over. Upset, I threw myself on the bed waiting for the tears to come, but nothing happened. I just lay there wishing I had Nick to turn too. I could almost feel his arms around me, his voice whispering my name, his hand stroking my hair. I missed him.

As if on impulse, I stood up and opened my window. I carefully made myself out and onto the roof. I laid myself down on a clear spot and looked up to face the stars above me. It was nothing like the secret passage back in Egypt, but it was enough. I didn't even feel any fear from the height. I just felt comfort. At that moment I closed my eyes and just let my mind wander away; somewhere that was a lot farther than the rooftop I was lying on; somewhere where I could just forget.

* * *

The next day I was in Lucas' room, lying down on his unmade bed as he rambled on about his college plans. We hadn't spoken about the other day. Either he knew I didn't want to, or he was too embarrassed to bring it up. Whatever the reason was, I was grateful.

"And I was planning on taking football up to 4th year and move onto professional," he continued. Honestly, I wasn't even listening. My mind always seemed to drone out whenever he was in a sports mode. Kind of like how he does when I talk about my art.

"By the way, when did you get that camera?" he asked as he nudged his head to the camera that I was holding on my lap.

"Birthday."

"Right," he nodded. "Well, I found the perfect present for you."

Suddenly memories of Nick's own unique gift broke through my mental barriers. The rush that I felt when I had jumped was almost unforgettable. "Kinda late don't you think?" I joked as I sat up.

"Nah. Better late than never." He rummaged around his drawer until he came out with an envelope. Well, he sure wasn't going to give me skydiving lessons. "Remember when I said I had to go to UCLA for a campus tour and orientation?"

I nodded not understanding what he was leading too. "Well, Happy Birthday." He handed me the envelope grinning in anticipation. I opened the envelope slowly just to tease him and found a plane ticket inside. "So. Do you want to come with me or not?"

That moment, time seemed to freeze. All the broken pieces in my mind seemed to piece together. LA. I'd spend my final weeks with Lucas, I'd get to meet my Dad, and who knows. Maybe I'd cross paths with Nick. Nick… The realization that I would see him again quickened my heart beat. I smiled as I leaned forward and hugged Lucas. I held the ticket tighter in my palm as if scared it would disappear beneath my fingertips. It almost felt like a dream.

Here, in my hand, was my escape.

_**IM's**_

_SmileyMiley15: Hey…_

_xLukeTillx: What's wrong?_

_SmileyMiley15: How did you know?_

_xLukeTillx: I've known you for years. We've IM'd for years. I know when you mean 'hey' and 'hey…' _

_SmileyMiley15: Creeper. :P_

_xLukeTillx: Now what's wrong?_

_SmileyMiley15: Nothing really. Just wondering about the trip._

_xLukeTillx: What's there to think about? _

_SmileyMiley15: I don't think Mom will let me._

_xLukeTillx: Why not? She trusts me. _

_SmileyMiley15: Dad._

_xLukeTillx: Right. Well, you're 18 right? You can technically do whatever you want._

_SmileyMiley15: But I h8 seeing her upset. Especially now, She's doing that silent, no tears thing again. _

_xLukeTillx: Cause she cares. Probably worried about your Dad hurting you too._

_xLukeTillx: She's protecting you from feeling like how she felt when he left. _

_SmileyMiley15: … Wow. You really are the women expert. _

_xLukeTillx: ;) Told you._

_xLukeTillx: Plus you have to go. It's going to be one of the last times we hang out before I leave for college. _

_SmileyMiley15: You had to say it. _

_xLukeTillx: What?_

_SmileyMiley15: Why did you have to remind me? You're leaving me. _

_xLucasTillx: You make it sound like I'm a bad person. _

_SmileyMiley15: I'm not the one leaving YOU behind. _

_xLucasTillx: C'mon, Miles. You know how much I wanted to leave. I really hoped that you'd go to college in Cali with me. And I'm not leaving for good._

_xLukeTillx: Think of it like a vacation. _

_SmileyMiley15: A 4 year long vacation… _

_xLukeTillx: I'll visit EVERY summer. EVERY winter break. EVERY spring break. _

_xLukeTillx: Hell, just call on a boring weekend, and I'll fly in. ;)_

_SmileyMiley15: That's what Dad said too._

_xLukeTillx: Well, I mean it. _

_SmileyMiley15: You know I love you right?_

_xLukeTillx: Yeah. I know. _

_xLukeTillx: And I love you too, Miles. High school would have impossible without you. I hate this town._

_SmileyMiley15: I know. Remember? We talked about BOTH getting away. _

_xLukeTillx: Not this again. I'm sorry Miles. I'll miss you, but that's why I want to spend the rest of summer together. _

_SmileyMiley15: I'm sorry. I'm just kind of moody today I guess. _

_xLukeTillx: CRAP. Jessica just signed online. Damn. Gotta get off. _

_xLukeTillx: I CANNOT handle another conversation about how 'shiny' I think her hair is. _

_SmileyMiley15: Hahahaa. Gotta love her confidence._

_xLukeTillx: Right. Well, I have to go. Night, Miles. Don't forget to pack socks! Let's not re- live certain memories._

_SmileyMiley15: Shut up That was ONE time. _

_xLukeTillx: Smelled like forever to me. _

_SmileyMiley15: Shut up. _

_xLukeTillx: Okay okay. I'm shut up. Bye. ;)_

_SmileyMiley15: You still owe me that smoothie!!!_

_xLukeTillx: Good luck with that. _

_xLukeTillx: -offline-_

A new chat window suddenly appeared off the corner of the screen. It was Jessica.

_Ux3Jesse: Hello?_

_SmileyMiley15: … Are you lost?_

_Ux3Jesse: Great! Miley! I was looking for you._

_SmileyMiley15: Listen, I got to go._

_Ux3Jesse: no you don't. I might let Lucas do it but i'm not getting blown off by u. _

Wow. She was smarter than I thought.

_SmileyMiley15: What do you want?_

_Ux3Jesse: does Lucas like me_

_SmileyMiley15: Do you want me to be completely honest? Or to suck- up._

_Ux3Jesse: I don't know. Just answer the question. _

_SmileyMiley15: No. _

_Ux3Jesse: But I'm JESSICA. Doesn't he think I'm hot?_

_SmileyMiley15: I guess. _

_Ux3Jesse: .. but he doesn't like me?_

_SmileyMiley15: NO._

_Ux3Jesse: . so he thinks I'm hot but he doesn't like me?_

_SmileyMiley15: Yay. You got it!_

_Ux3Jesse; but that doesn't make any sense_

_SmileyMiley15: Can I ask you something._

_Ux3Jesse: .maybe_

_SmileyMiley15: Why do you like Lucas? You don't even really know him?_

_Ux3Jesse: Because he's hot , the quarterback, class president, popular, model- body._

_SmileyMiley15: But you don't know him._

_Ux3Jesse: helloo. we've all known eachother since kindergarten. of course I know him! _

_SmileyMiley15: Listen. What you just named about him is what he HAS. Not who he IS. _

_Ux3Jesse: that makes no sense. _

_SmileyMiley15: Just think about it. I really have to go. _

_Ux3Jesse: wait. i have a ? !_

_SmileyMiley15: What?_

_Ux3Jesse: do you love him? Lucas?_

_SmileyMiley15: Yeah. I guess. I've known him since birth. _

_Ux3Jesse: but your not going out… _

_SmileyMiley15: There's more than one kind of love. Ours is just friendship. _

_Ux3Jesse: Can I change my answer from before?_

_SmileyMiley15: What?_

_Ux3Jesse: I think I love Lucas because of the way his eyes light up when he talks about something he loves, the way he plays with his bangs when he's nervous, the way he always seems to be nice to me despite how mean I am to you. _

My hands stopped, and I froze in front of the screen. I couldn't imagine Jessica actually having FEELINGS for him. I always thought it was some high- school crush that she would get over. I thought she was only in love with Lucas; the perfect son, football player, etc. Not Lucas; the guy who secretly plays guitar in his bedroom, the one who loves leaving pennies on the ground to give someone else luck, the one who loves to make people laugh. I suddenly realized that Jessica might have actually grown feeling for him, and at that moment I felt sorry for her. From as far as I know, Lucas showed NO interest at all in her. Sometimes he even criticized her. This conversation was probably the most real I had ever heard her sound. It reminded me of Selena Jansen and those rare moments of vulnerability and imperfection. She had finally shown the scars under her mask.

_Ux3Jesse: I'm sorry about the drink thing. _

_SmileyMiley15: It's fine._

_Ux3Jesse: He doesn't love me back, does he?_

_SmileyMiley15: I don't know…_

_Ux3Jesse: It's fine. It's always been that way, I guess. _

_Ux3Jesse: So, I heard you're leaving with him to LA. _

_SmileyMiley15: Hopefully._

_Ux3Jesse: Why hopefully? Aren't his mom and your mom like best friends?_

_SmileyMiley15: Family problems._

_Ux3Jesse: I get it. _

What most people didn't know about Jessica was that her mom and dad didn't sleep in the same room anymore. (Aside from the fact that her father was never home). He was an important official in Congress and always seemed to find work more important that family. People would congratulate and tell Jessica how 'lucky' she was to have a father like that; someone who would change the world, but I could see the denial in her eyes. That was one of the only things I had in common with Jessica Fisher. She knew about my messed up family too. That day my dad left, news seemed to have spread, and that day in 3nd grade, Jessica sat next to me and shared her lunch. PB&J. I still remember.

_Ux3Jesse: well I have to go_

_SmileyMiley15: Me too._

_Ux3Jesse: Can you please not tell any1 about this?_

_SmileyMiley15: I guess not._

_Ux3Jesse: Thanks. Xoxo. _

_SmileyMiley15: xoxo?_

_Ux3Jesse: It's hugs and kisses, duh._

_SmileyMiley15: ????????_

_Ux3Jesse: never mind._

_Ux3Jesse: -offline-_

_SmileyMiley15: -offline- _

I went to sleep that night wondering how much people could really hide behind a pair of $200 manicured nails, long waves of perfect hair, and big white fake glossed smiles.

* * *

**A/N: Very long chapter. I know. I wanted to get some of the character relationships out. Just wondering. Who's your favorite character so far? Favorite chapter/part? :) And don't forget I love REVIEWS! or at least replies on twitter if you don't have a FF account. :) **

**And like I said last chapter... be patient. You got part of the answer you guys wanted in this chapter. ;) **


	13. Chapter 12: City of Angels

I was on my way to California. LA to be exact.

First, to spend my last few few weeks with my best friend. Second, to see my Dad. Third, to escape that suffocating town I never really fit into. And I guess you could count Nick as a fourth reason, but who knew what would happen when I got there. Maybe he forgot me…

So basically, my mom and I didn't have a very … pleasant conversation before leaving. In a nutshell, I told her I was leaving and she couldn't stop me. There were a few slamming of doors, a few screams, a few tears, packing my bags, and I was ready to go. I loved her, but I needed to do this for me. I couldn't handle staying in this god- forsaken town all summer. I needed my escape. I knew she didn't approve of me going to Dad's, but I had to see him. Maybe it was for love, maybe just for need, or maybe even just for closure. And for spending my last few months with Lucas, that was an important reason for leaving. After the end of this summer, I would never see him again. My whole life, I always had that one person to go to. When someone asked who to call for an emergency, or who's house to drop you off at, or who to bring along for a movie, it was always him. He'd been there since birth. My first steps, he was right there, leaning on me for support as he also shakily took his first steps. He was like my brother. I loved him.

To be completely honest, when I had first had the ticket to LA in my hand, the first thought that passed in my head was Nick, the guy I had fallen for in a mere 2 weeks. I could imagine him standing there at the airport gate with flowers and that easy- going smile of his. His hair would be messed up as if he had climbed out of bed (the usual), his hands would be shyly stuffed in his pockets as his hazel eyes seemed to smile with his grin. He'd be waiting for me.

But when I exited out of the terminal gate, with one hand around my luggage, and the other on his dog- tag necklace, there was no Nick Grey holding flowers. No Nick Grey with his messy mass of curls or smiling eyes. Instead, I was there staring at the crowded airport with a sinking feeling in my stomach. What did I expect? Nick to show up on a freakin horse to take me off to Neverland?

"You okay?" Lucas yawned as he shook his hair. He had been sleeping almost the whole plane ride except for when they had passed out snacks. Yup. That was Lucas.

"Yeah," I smiled faintly. "Just tired, I guess."

"Me too," he stretched his arms out. 8 hours of straight sleep on a plane, and he was STILL tired. Wow. "Come on. Let's get a taxi to the university." He kept a steady hand on my back as he led me out of the airport. If I could explain LA in one word: crowded.

Taxis, buses, people, people, and more people lined up the streets. There were huge buildings in one part of the city, and other streets with small graffiti'd stores. I took out my camera and just snapped picture after picture. The cab driver seemed to just keep driving and driving. How long could we drive?! This city was huge! The sun seemed to always be out, not as hot as the Egypt climate, but a lot warmer than home. Overall if I could describe LA in one other word, I'd pick: Beautiful. There were definitely flaws, but the over- all atmosphere of the city made me feel like flying. It was almost powerful. I felt like jumping off building, screaming messages into the crisp air, dancing around the streets no matter what people thought of me. No wonder Nick loved it here. He would constantly tell me stories about the reasons he had decided to live in LA, despite the large mass of people and papparazi, including a limited sense of privacy. He had told me that it wasn't who was in the city, but rather what the city made you feel. I guess I was feeling it.

"We're here," Lucas broke my thoughts as he took our bags out of the trunk. There were students piled everywhere. Seniors from all across the country gathered in one place. There were people from every nationality and color as they gathered around the main lawn waiting for instructions on where to go. I watched as two tall blonde girls (both who reminded me a lot like the clones back home) walked past and give a hungry glare at Lucas who was too busy bending down to tie his shoe. They sneaked a quick look at his butt before running off giggling. I smirked into my hand as he finally came back up to look at me.

"What? Is there something on my face?" he asked.

"Um," I giggled. "Yeah. Something like that."

Suddenly a girl probably not that much older than us stepped up to a podium and hushed the crowd. She was dressed in a simple oxford shirt and skirt, her hair pulled back in a tight bun. She truly looked the part of a college student. But she was also one of the prettiest girls I had ever seen. Gold strands of hair escaped her bun and fell lightly on the sides of her cheek. The color was almost similar to Jessica's from back home, but the difference was that she had an intense gaze in her eyes as if she knew exactly what she was doing, where she was going, and when she was doing it. Her eyes were a forest green and her skirt hung on loosely to her narrow hips. I could have easily said she was as beautiful as Selena Jansen, but I thought Selena would zap my butt off the concrete pavement at that minute. They were both beautiful, I had to admit. But they both had different kind of beauty. Selena had the perfect hair, the perfect eyes, the perfect body. This girl had a pretty but not perfect everything. But the way she walked, the way she acted, made her seem almost as perfect. (If there was such thing as _perfect _at all.) All I know is that every male mouth in the crowd was dropped to the floor, and some even dripping with drool.

"Welcome, future UCLA students," she smiled. "I'm Emily Trescott."

"YOU'RE HOT!" a random voice screamed from the back. The crowd buzzed with laughter. Even Emily broke a grin.

"Well, I'm a Junior here, and I'm here to give you your room assignments." She went down a list and started handing out key cards.

"I can see why you picked this school," I teased as I shot a look at Emily. Lucas looked up as if she were just like any girl we would see back home.

"She's okay," he shrugged.

I worried about him sometimes. The only girl he had ever actually gotten together with or even shown much interest too was Sarah. Sarah, the girl that loved him and broke his heart all in the time span of a month, was the only reason I didn't think he was gay. Not that I wouldn't mind having a gay friend. That would have been pretty fun.

Accidentally, I laughed out loud again. What was with me and my lack of laughter control recently?! Lucas shot me a raised eyebrow before breaking into a grin. "So what's the first thing you want to do in the city of Angels?"

I crossed my arms in front of me. "Let's go get a coke. I'm thirsty."

"Okay," he laughed. "Now, what do you REALLY want to do?"

I shrugged. "All I know is that I have to meet my Dad tomorrow."

"Okay, what about we ding dong ditch celebrity houses?"

"Not going to work," a sweet voice around us said. We turned around to face Emily with a clipboard and a stack of keycards. "Trust me. I've tried. It's dangerous."

We both laughed embarrassed and thanked her for the tip. "And your name is?" she asked looking at Lucas.

"Lucas Tiller."

She looked down her list and finally came up with a red card with a key attached. "Coney Hall. Nice." She turned towards me. "Your name?"

"Um, Miley Stewart, but I'm just staying with him. I'm not coming to this school."

She nodded understanding. "Oh. I get it. It's hard leaving behind boyfriends. I had to-"

"He's not my boyfriend," I cut her off. She eyed the two of us with a curious glance, but ended up nodding again.

"Well, it was nice meeting you Lucas Tiller and Miley Stewart. Don't get into too much trouble while you're here." And with that she left, her hips swinging behind her.

"That was…"

"Weird," I finished for him. We laughed and made our way up to Coney Hall. The minute we stepped into the room, Lucas collapsed on the bed. I literally think he fell asleep the second he touched the sheets but I shook him before he could.

"Lucas," I whispered. He groaned refusing to get off the bed. "Lucas."

"What?" he mumbled.

"There's only one bed."

He slowly pulled his head up to look around. There was only one bed, one bathroom, and one closet. I'm guessing they weren't planning on bringing guests along with him. "Crap," was all he said before falling his head back on the pillow.

"So what are we going to do?"

"Sleep on the bed," he mumbled.

"Together?"

"Miles. We've been sleeping on the same bed for the last 18 years. And it's big enough to fit at least 3 people."

I knew that I shouldn't feel awkward with him, but honestly we were two teenagers (AKA Raging hormones) about to sleep in the same bed. We might have been sleeping in the same bad since birth, but we honestly haven't done that since we were 12. 12 to 18 was a big big difference.

"Lucas. We haven't slept on the same bed since we were kids."

He groaned finally sitting up. "It's not like we're going to have sex or anything. It's just sleeping. Aren't you overreacting a little?"

Maybe I was overreacting. I mean, I trusted him with almost all my secrets, excluding Nick of course, so what would the problem be with sharing a bed. It was big enough to have a huge gap between us.

"Or," Lucas continued. "I can always sleep on the floor."

I shook my head already starting to feel guilty for even bringing it up. "It's fine. Sorry. I think the plane ride is getting to me." It was partly true. I've had a small head- ache ever since we had landed. Maybe it was from the air pressure from the flight, or the new surroundings, or maybe even nerves of meeting my Dad… meeting Nick. Aside from the fact that he didn't even know I was in the city.

"C'mon. Take a nap." Lucas patted the space next to him. I could already hear his voice drifting away as he was already half- asleep. "It'll help the head- ache."

Suddenly, he broke into soft snores. I laughed as I watched his face relax in his sleep. Sighing, I made my way on the bed next to him, kicked of my shoes, and lied down. Before I knew it, I had already begun dreaming.

* * *

The next day, Lucas was stuck in orientations as I made my way through LA to see my Dad. He had emailed me an address and a set of clear directions. The only problem was I had no idea where to start. Eventually after a few long hours I found myself in front of a huge glass house. And I mean, EVERYTHING was glass. Light seemed to reflect off ever wall and corner. I came up to the door and rang the doorbell already feeling the nerves swell up. A tall petite woman with chestnut hair tied in a loose ponytail opened the door.

"May I help you?"

"Hi," I mumbled nervously. Was I even in the right house? "I'm Miley Stewart."

The lady's eyes seemed to stare blank before finally widening with understanding. "Oh! I'm Diane. I was waiting for you. I thought you weren't going to show. How was the trip?"

The minute I stepped into the house, I almost gasped. Inside felt like I was in the middle of a crystal. There were glass chandeliers and tables and counters. Diane seemed to notice my stares as she laughed. "A little too much, don't you think?"

I turned around. "No. I don't think so. I think it's absolutely breathtaking." She thanked me and sat me down at the living room as she offered me endless varieties of snacks and drinks. Although they seemed to have a maid and a chef, a very loose apron hung around her as she came and went from the kitchen every few minutes. "So you're Diane, huh? My dad's wife Diane?"

She smiled. "Yup. I know this must be awkward with you. Your dad told me about your mom not really wanting you to go here."

I looked down embarrassed and curious at what she might have known. "But I'm glad you came," she smiled encouragingly. She was nothing like I expected. I imagined some blonde college girl who walked around in booty shorts all day and partied all night. I thought he had married some slut. But instead, Diane was a practical woman. She seemed to smile at everything I said. She seemed the same age as Mom if not a little older, and she didn't have a single sign of plastic surgery on her face or any other sign of her body. I sighed in relief. I always wondered why he would never send pictures.

"That's a really pretty necklace," she complimented as she pointed to Nick's dog- tag that hung loosely around my neck.

"Thank you," I smiled as I took another sip from my lemonade. DANG. This lady could make so good lemonade. I took a few sips before she re- filled my glass.

"So what do you think of LA?" she smiled as she poured her own glass.

"Crowded," I laughed. "And it's different… That's pretty much all I can say."

She nodded knowingly. "I understand. When I had to move here with your father, it was almost impossible to adjust. This city is definitely nothing like home in Colorado."

I almost choked on my lemonade. "You're not from LA?"

She shook her head. "I met your Dad while he was on a business trip in Denver, and I had driven there with a few friends that weekend."

I sat there drowned with guilt. I had always blamed her for making Dad move so far away from us. I blamed her for the reason he never visited or wrote or even called. It was amazing how everything you believed in could change in a single moment. Here, I thought I had a reason to hate her, that she ruined my family, but as far as I know, she made him happy. Wasn't that enough?

At that moment, Diane began taking off the extremely loose apron to make herself more comfortable. What was behind the apron, I did not expect to see. Diane had a baby bump. Actually it was WAY MORE than a baby bump. It was a freakin' volcano growing on her stomach. My first reaction was confusion and denial. No. Dad would have told me.

Yeah. Like how he writes to me every few months.

But something as big as getting a future half- sister was pretty important news, don't you think?!

"You're pregnant?" I asked baffled. I nearly choked on my last sip of lemonade. Diane, oblivious, hugged her stomach.

"Yeah. 6 months in. You seemed so surprised. Didn't your Dad tell you?"

At that moment, I didn't know what to do but run. I raced for the door with Diane's soft voice trailing behind me to stop. At the front door, I collided with someone at the door. I looked up to see my father's worried stare.

"Miley? Hey, What's-" But before I could break into tears I escaped the front door and out of his grasp. I had no idea where I was going, but I just ran and ran and ran and ran. People, buildings, lights seemed to pass me in a blur as I just kept moving my legs until they grew numb. As I turned a corner, I suddenly felt myself crash into someone else's arms. I stood there in shock, and embarrassed to look up. Before I could mumble out an apology, their hands suddenly moved to the dog- tag necklace around my neck and I caught a glimpse of familiar hands. The next thing I knew, a pair of strong arms surrounded me, and a soft hand stroking my hair.

"Miley," a soft and familiar voice whispered. I didn't even have to look up to know who it was.

* * *

_**A/N: Lalaalaaaaa. Don't you just LOVE that ending.**_


	14. Chapter 13: Faithed Encounters

I found him. I actually and finally found him. I had no idea where I was, what time it was, or even how I had gotten there. All I knew was that I was here with HIM.

"Nick," I sobbed into his chest. Soon my tears mixed from shock and disappointment from earlier, to shock and relief from now. After my sobs slowed, and my tears stopped, he took my hand and led me off the street and into a more secluded building away from everyone else.

He kept my face in his hands as he stared at me as if I were a ghost. "How," he murmured to himself. "How are you here?"

I smiled softly as I put my own hand on his chest, feeling his quick- heartbeat pulse beneath my fingertips. "My friend. Orientation. College. Trip. Dad. It's a lost story," I finally laughed. After schock and disbelief passed in his face, he finally broke into that smile I missed. I always wondered if it was faith or coincidence that I had slammed into him that day. Out of every place, street, or even corner in LA, we happened to crash into each other. We had met in the middle.

"I've missed you," I finally whispered. He smiled and said nothing. The look and relief in his eyes already explained it all. He leaned forward and pressed his lips to mine. It was nothing that caused fireworks, or a parade. No romantic music played in the background. There was no cheering or clapping when our lips touched. There was nothing extra ordinary when I smiled into his kiss.

All I know is that that kiss stayed with me forever.

Let me just say that Nick Grey did not lead a simple life. By the first five minutes. I had already seen 5 cars (one probably costing MORE than my HOUSE), about 6 bedrooms, including a guesthouse with 2 extra rooms, a pool (indoor AND outdoor), a garden which he told me he never used, and even his own personal starbucks (even if all he drank was only coffee; black). He lived THE life. Luckily the minute I stepped into his house (Correction: MANSION) there was not a single picture of himself. Actually, there was no pictures AT ALL. I was about to ask him why, but he was too busy asking me questions.

"So you're staying with your Dad?"

"No. I'm staying with an old friend who's here for some college orientation."

He nodded . "So how was meeting your Dad?"

I shuffled my feet awkwardly as I held the warm cup of coffee tighter between my palms. "Well, I didn't really get to meet him." And that was all I said. Nick seemed to get the message. He moved on the couch next to me and held my hand as I leaned my head against his chest. "She's pregnant," I finally whispered. Luckily, there were no tears. I guess I had run out. "She's pregnant, and he didn't even tell me. No phone call, no letter, no postcard. A freakin' POST- IT NOTE would have been fine!"

I took a deep breath trying to calm myself out of my outburst. I hadn't realized how angry I was until now. Nick rubbed my shoulders comfortingly. I suddenly realized how much I had missed him; how much I needed him. "I just can't believe he didn't tell me. He used to tell me everything." I stopped.

"Except when he left."

Nick kept a steady hand around me letting me think in my own silence, something I really needed right now. Company and silence. I was really starting to doubt his, 'no such thing as perfect' idea. He seemed to know everything. It was almost intimidating at times, but that's who he was. And I loved every part of it. Finally, he spoke quietly. "Maybe he wanted to tell you in person. Maybe that's why he invited you here."

The thought didn't even cross my mind. It would make sense on my Dad's sudden invitation, all the secrecy, the reason he didn't send us pictures of Diana recently. Maybe there were supposed to tell me when he got home. (Or at least Dad was.) "But she's at least 6 months pregnant. Calling, um I don't know, 4 months EARLIER would have been nice." My temper has simmered to frustration.

"Be happy," Nick whispered. "You're getting a sister."

I sat there for a moment letting that sink in. I would have a sister. Someone to teach, someone to hold, someone who would look up to me as a hero when no one else seemed to care. She'd be someone who'd love me despite my flaws. I would finally have someone to with play with, to walk to the park with, to drive around, to bring to birthday parties, to scream at when we're annoying each other. I would have to teach (Correction: WARN) her about boys. I would have to teach her how to do her hair, how to do her make- up, when to call a boy back and when to ignore them. I would tell her about my first kiss and watch her grow up until she had her own. I would watch her become someone great, and I would know that I was one of the people that got her there.

And out of the confusion in my mind, I finally laughed. Nick smiled. "I missed that."

I looked up and saw that it was already 10:30. I didn't want to be anywhere else but here, but Lucas would get suspicious, and it wasn't the right time just yet to break him the news. "I have to go," I explained disappointedly. I untangled myself out of his arms to gather my stuff. It was almost painful.

"Why?" he groaned as he reached for me. I giggled and stepped back knowing if I stayed any longer, I probably wouldn't have the will- power to leave.

"My friend will get worried," I explained. I was about to exit the front door, but he ran after me.

"You can't use the front door. There are always paparazzi outside the gate. Pictures. Assumptions. Rumors. Head- lining news. Yeah. It's going to be messy."

I raised a confused eyebrow. He sighed trying to re- phrase his words. "I don't think the public is ready for us just yet." For a second, I almost felt offended. He made it sounds as if he were ashamed of us, but then I realized what a hypocrite I was being. Here I was, no even having the guts to tell my BEST FRIEND about our relationship, and I was upset that Nick wouldn't tell thousands of strangers desperate for a story. I sighed realizing the separate challenges we both faced in our relationship. He took me by the hand and led me to a back door that the gardeners and workers used. He opened his car door for me. Specifically, his neon blue MASARATI. I stepped inside and felt the smooth leather seats. I spent the next five minutes just staring in complete awe. If this were one of those old animated cartoons, my jaw would literally have hit the floor, or whatever's under that and whatever's under that and whatever's under that and… well, you get it. I think the car cost more than… well, more than ME.

Let me take this time to explain to you that I have NEVER ridden in anything other than my simple black prius, my mom's van, and Lucas' pick- up truck. So when I first heard the engine start, I thought a MASSACRE was going on outside. Nick laughed as he heard me gasp out loud. Next thing I knew, he had stepped on the gas pedal and my head was glued to the back of my chair. A loud roaring was filling my ears and I closed my eyes. We must have been moving over 100 MPH!

"Having fun?" he laughed. He ran his hands through his curls as he left one hand to steer the wheel and leaned back on his chair comfortably.

"No no NO NO NO," I led his hand back to the steering wheel, making sure both hands were on at the right spots. "Please. Two hands. Please." I closed my eyes again.

Nick seemed to be amused. "I'm only going 55 Mph, Miles."

"Shut up," I whispered, eyes still squeezed tightly. Finally, as we reached the side- streets, he slowed down. I eventually opened my eyes to find him still smirking. "Shut up," I smirked as I slapped his shoulder.

"So Miley Stewart; loves photography, likes to ruin my shirts, beautiful, and afraid of cars."

"Correction. Afraid of FAST cars." I turned towards him pretending to evaluate. "Nick Grey; doesn't dance, sucks at goodbyes, and wants to kill me."

He laughed. "How'd you know?" I slapped his shoulder again, but that only seemed to amuse him more. After a few minutes of driving he asked, "So where are you staying?"

I bit my lip trying to find an answer. As if on time, I recognized a familiar bus stop that would lead me back to campus. If I had taken Nick to where I was staying, I was only risking the chance of Lucas and Nick's encounter, and I FOR SURE wasn't ready for that.

"Stop here," I said as I undid my seatbelt. Nick peeked out the car window to see where we had stopped.

"You're staying at a 7- Eleven?"

I smirked and leaned over my seat to kiss his cheek goodnight. He seemed disappointed as if he wanted more, but I knew I would never leave if I gave him a real kiss. It'd be too hard. I decided to take this time with him as slowly as possible.

When you have your favorite piece of candy, you save the flavor and try to make it last as long as possible til you reach the very last tip. And the ones who just swallowed never got the full experience. They had it, and they lost it. That was how I felt. I didn't want these next few weeks to be a blur. I wanted to savor it; I wanted to remember it. I wanted the taste of these memories to stay with me forever.

"Where are we meeting again?" Nick asked shyly.

I shrugged. "What about at a restaurant?"

He shook his head. "Too public."

"A movie?"

"Way too public."

"A park?"

"Public."

"A coffee shop?"

"Public."

"Neverland?"

"Publ-" Nick grinned as he stopped himself. I broke into my own smirk thought my hope of spending every possible second with him dimmed. Almost everything we could do was 'too public'. I guess fame did have its downsides.

"Okay. What about we meet right there. Just pick me up, and you can take me wherever you want to take me."

"Deal," he smiled. He leaned forward to kiss me, and this time I let him. It was soft, short, sweet, and simple, yet it took my breath away.

"Goodnight, Nick Grey."

"Goodnight, Miley Stewart."

He watched as I crossed the street. He watched as I turned the corner. He watched until I was only a dot in the distance. Finally, after sighing, he turned the engine on, and drove.

* * *

I can for sure tell you that I dreamed of him that night. By the time I had sneaked back inside campus and back to our room. Lucas was fast alseep on a chair. He must have been waiting for me. He was already wearing pajama bottoms, but he was still wearing his shirt from today. It was the Radiohead concert t-shirt we had gotten together, my very first concert. We had promised back then to wear it together every Friday. (When we thought matching was cool.) I must have lost mine somewhere in my closet.

I carefully woke him up. I could tell he was curious on where I was, but he was too exhausted to ask me at the moment. I helped him into bed, since he was basically half- asleep, and I didn't trust his balancing skills with only one eye half open. I spent the next hour trying to sketch, but my mind seemed to wander to other things… or specifically, a person. Even when I doubted I would cross paths with Nick again, I always hoped. I even planned everything I was supposed to say, even though it didn't really work out as I planned. I imagined myself crossing paths with him with me looking gorgeous, not a crying sobby mess. I imagined running into his arms, which sort of happened, if you remove the words CRASHED into him. And the first words I was supposed to say the minute I saw him were, I love you.

I sighed putting my sketch book down. I really planned on telling him tonight, but nothing seemed like the right moment. The words were building inside me, and I felt as if they were stacked so high that it would burst. I had to tell him. I had to. Eventually, I decided to just tell him tomorrow. I wanted to hear him say the words again. I needed to hear him say the words again.

The night before I left, I lay myself down on the rooftop watching the stars and thinking about him. I thought about every second and memory we had spent together in Egypt. I remembered every word that led to those three that changed my life. And I eventually came to the conclusion how I felt…

Basically, he drove me **CRAZYYYYYY**. I wanted to kill him and kiss him at the same time. Sometimes I felt as if I couldn't handle 5 more minutes with him, but I couldn't last a second without him. He confused me, he challenged me, yet he loved me. And that chaos he created in my life that made me feel as if I were going insane was love. I was IN love, and I had never been so happy.

After putting my supplies away, changing, and brushing my teeth, I climbed into bed and smiled myself to sleep. The minute my head hit the bed, I was already dreaming about tomorrow.

* * *

_**A/N: Just since you guys have been patient. Hahaaa. :)**_

_**The next chapter will introduce a WHOLEEE LOAD of new characters, so Review and the next chapter will be up by Saturday or Sunday. **_

_**Just wondering. Nick or Lucas? Just because I'm a Niley fan doesn't mean Nick and Miley always end up together... Ha. Or maybe I'm just messing with your minds. **_

_**Dooo da dooo. Review and all that other stuff. By the way, I'm thinking of making a youtube video to one of the chapters to Picture Perfect (kind of like a one- shot) So tell me which chapter you want me to make.  
**_


	15. Chapter 14: Welcome To My Home

I was in the middle of brushing my teeth from waking up when there was a knock on the door. My first thought was Lucas, but he should have been at another orientation meeting this morning. The next thought in my mind was that something was wrong. I quickly cleaned up and opened the door to help… But the person outside the door didn't need it. He looked fine and healthy. (Almost glowing if you ask me), but the person outside the door also wasn't Lucas at all.

"Good morning," Nick smiled as he leaned forward to kiss my cheek. I was still in shock as he came inside and made himself comfortable on the bed; my bed; or more importantly Lucas' bed.

"What are you doing here?"

"Greeting you Good Morning."

"Seriously. How did you find out where I was staying?"

"Well," he explained as he leaned back on his palms. "You said your friend was visiting a University. I did some research and the rest are connections, "he winked.

Crap. He must know about Lucas.

"So you found out about where I was from my friend?" I asked innocently.

"Nah. Actually, I just checked the closet school and asked around."

"And what happened when you asked around?" I laughed. "Let me guess. A screaming mob of fans!"

"Nope. I'm telling you. I have connections," he explained again. When he saw I wasn't taking that as an answer he sighed. "Okay okay. I have a friend who goes here."

"That must be hard," I said. "People probably follow them all around campus trying to get pictures and autographs." I was about to ask why they wanted to go to such a public university, but Nick shook his head.

"They're not famous."

I sat there confused and surprised at the same time. Nick Grey had regular friends outside the business. He had friends who could walk down the street unnoticed; someone who could buy lunch with without causing attention, someone who wasn't being watched by the public eye, someone who was free to do whatever and whenever they wanted. Nick Grey had friends like me. Or at least something like that, considering my only real friend was Lucas. The realization that Nick had someone else to talk to abut regular teen stuff or even regular LIFE stuff left me in awe. I mean, a lot of celebrities has regular friends, but they were usually from their past before they had become famous. Nick had grown up in an orphanage isolated. He had no family or friends… Well, that was what he told me. I almost felt guilty for judging him so fast. I was relieved to know he hung out with more people like me, but the realization also scared me. At that moment, I realized how much I didn't know about him. There always seemed to be some new surprise to uncover.

"So I was planning on a breakfast," he grinned as he lay out the food he had brought in. Specifically, he was laying everything on the bed; Lucas' bed. Lucas would wonder if we made a mess.

"Let's eat on the floor," I suggested innocently.

He shrugged and reset it on the floor. Most of the food laid out were breakfast sandwiches, fruit pastries, and French bread. Luckily, he had gotten me my coffee (AKA my drug). He smiled as he saw me chug down half the cup. That was the thing with Nick that was different with other guys. I never felt insecure around him, except when I wasn't being myself. When I was with him, I was just me, and I had no other care in the world than to be just that. Maybe it was because I knew that he loved me for me. He accepted my flaws. He accepted my mistakes. He loved my imperfections. At school, during the rare times I would have to sit with Lucas and his friends, I would nibble on a cracker or sip from a water bottle. It just felt too … awkward. The only other person out there that accepted me for me was someone who knew me better than I probably did. Lucas. He was one 2 months and 11 days older than I was. His mom would take him to my mom's house to help her while she was still carrying me, so technically, Lucas did know me before I knew myself.

I laughed out loud accidentally. There I go AGAIN.

"What's so funny?" Nick asked as he wiped the sides of his mouth embarrassed. I laughed and shook my head.

"Nothing. Just thinking to myself."

He nodded, and gave me an 'you're insane look' and got back to eating. I took that time to notice how he had changed the past few weeks we had been apart. His hair had grown longer… Wow. It grows fast. Now a long curl fell down his forehead (superman style) and almost past his eyes. If I didn't think it was impossible, I would have said it looked more untamed. His eyes were a little more exhausted, but he was still as good- looking as ever. The night I had bumped into him on the street, he had looked so pale and almost sickly. I didn't take much time yesterday to wonder why, but I knew something was wrong.

"Hey, are you okay?" I asked as I lay my hand over his. He looked up surprised as if he had been caught doing something.

"Yeah," he forced a smile. He ran one hand through his wild curls and kept the other holding my hand. "I'm fine. Why?"

"I don't know. You just seem…. Exhausted."

"Oh. Well I have been working on my Julius Caesar part a lot recently. Shooting starts next week."

"Maybe you should take a break. You know, get some rest?" I suggested worried.

"I would, but this part is so important to me. It's like it was-"

"Made for you. I know," I finished. "But you look so exhausted. At least try resting some more."

He kissed the tips of my fingers. "But then I wouldn't be able to spend all my time with you."

I smiled and leaned into his chest forgetting about the half- cup of coffee that I still hadn't finished. "Just try. Please. For me." I heard him sigh into my hair as he nodded in defeat. I was really worried about him. I was starting to doubt the effects the new Julius Caesar movie was on him. He was changing, and he didn't even realize it.**_ I_** didn't even realize it until now.

I suddenly realized I had wrapped my fingers on the dog- tag necklace and was stroking it softly. I had been doing it a lot recently; first on the plane ride to LA, second to meet Dad, and third after my encounter with Nick, all events that I had feared and overcome.

"Thanks for giving me this," I whispered as I held the necklace between my palms.

He smiled. "It really means a lot to me."

I looked up to meet him straight in the eye. "You'll have to tell me the story sometime."

As I expected, Nick shut down completely letting any way of moving forward in the conversation stop. He was always like this when we tried talking about his past .Actually, anything PERSONAL, he tried avoiding all in all. How were we supposed to start a relationship if he wouldn't let me in? If he didn't trust me?

I looked down and let the necklace drop down until it nestled in its usual spot at the center of my chest, right over my heart. I was going to try pushing the story about the dog- tag necklace more, but he quickly changed the subject before I could ask any more questions. Damn. He was getting good at this… Luckily, I let it pass.

"So here's the plan for today. Breakfast. Check. Then we go to a special private tour of LA," he grinned. "Nick Grey style of course."

"Special," I smirked sarcastically.

"And then lunch at one of my favorite places in the world. Nick Grey tour part 2. And a special extra surprise in the end… if you're good, of course."

"Mhm,' I grinned. "But wouldn't that cause a scene? I though the _public wasn't ready for us."_ I mimicked his tone from last night. He smiled as he dug around his messenger bag.

"I have a hat." He put on an old beaten down baseball cap. It was almost identical to the one I had packed and wore on the first few days in Egypt. I had borrowed it from Lucas because I never found a good enough reason to keep hats for myself. It was funny actually… His hat had the same faded blue color as mine, the same brown stain on the side, the partly creased letters, the initials L.S….

"Hey!" I grinned as I took it off his head. I held the cap tightly in my hands. "This was mine. Where did you find it?"

"A crew member found it and put it in the trash pile. When I was leaving, I saw it and knew it was yours so I kept it."

"Stalker," I coughed.

"You got that right," he leaned forward and kissed me lightly. Not hard enough to make my head spin, but enought to keep his scent hanging from my lips. To my biggest relief, he didn't ask about Lucas' initials. I'm guessing he didn't notice.

"I'm going to go change," I finally smiled as I wiped the crumbs off. Luckily, we didn't make that much of a noticeable mess that Lucas would notice.

He smiled as he cleaned up our left- overs and trash, and I finished changing. Luckily, I actually packed some presentable clothes, aside from the normal shorts and tank top Nick was so used to seeing. I picked a simple high- waisted skirt to match a white blouse I had borrowed from my Mom's closet… okay. Maybe stole. But who needs to know the details.

I came out of the bathroom seeing Nick on a phone call. I was guessing it was someone important from the seriousness on his face. "Just GET IT DONE.  
I finally stepped out and Nick's eyes widened again as if he had been caught doing something wrong. "I'll call you back," he whispered to whoever was on the other end of the phone, and he finally came to face me. "You look beautiful."

` I smiled and leaned forward to kiss him lightly. I smiled as I took in his regular scent. Even through the kiss though, which usually took all my attention, I kept thinking about that phone call Nick had made. He wasn't telling me something. "Sorry if I interrupted your phone call."

Nick's eyes wavered for a second, but then broke out into his movie- star grin. (The one he used whenever he tried to get something). "It's fine. It was no one special. So are you ready to go?" I guess this time he what he was trying to get was to get me to forget about it. Sighing, I nodded and made my way outside. Nick slipped his hat, trying to cover any escaped curls and his sunglasses covered half his face. If they didn't stare at him for being Nick Grey, they would have stared at him for being crazy.

We finally got to one of the most crowded parts of campus, I held his hand tighter I as I secretly prayed that no one would notice him. Honestly, I thought he wouldn't be able to pull of the whole sunglasses/hat thing. But as we moved around that crowd, no one even glanced at us. To them, we were just regular students who were trying to get to class. By the time we had reached the parking lot, I scanned the rows for his regular Masarati, but I couldn't find one.

"Where'd you park?"

"Right here," Nick shouted from across the lot. But he wasn't standing to a Maserati. It was an old vintage mustang. I looked up admiring it.

"Wow."

He smiled. "Yeah. I know. Out of all those cars, this one has got to be my favorite." He paused admiring it himself. "It was my first car. I got it from my very first pay roll. It's something I've had from the very beginning."

"Well, I love it," I smiled. I went to the passenger door where Nick opened it,being the gentleman that he was, and got in smiling as I felt the smooth and creased leather seats. The whole car had a hint of his scent. I smiled making myself comfortable. This car to Nick was like my sketch book or camera to me. It was part of what made us, us. He turned the engine on and I was relieved to hear only a soft murmuring of sounds instead of the massacre going on yesterday. The minute we started driving, I already felt comfortable. The sense of the mustang's old and comfortable feel reminded me of home. I suddenly remembered all the nights I had spent driving around… not that I had a lot to drive away to, but it was enough to clear my head. I remembered Mom's old van that she still had even if it was the same one that her and Dad had bought together before I was born. I still remember the ice cream stain that was still there the day me and Lucas were fighting over who's spoon was who's. I remembered the day I hadn't gotten a single letter or phone call from Dad on my 15th birthday, and Lucas drove me around until I was able to smile again.

We spent the day together without anyone really noticing us. He took me to the regular tourist spots. We talked, we laughed, we made- fun of the other confused tourists who kept asking us for directions. I already had my Polaroid out taking as much pictures as possible. I had probably gone through more than ¾ of my film before we got back into his car to grab lunch. I was expecting him to take me to some fancy exclusive Hollywood restaurant, but we kept on driving until we were almost out of the city. Finally, we stopped in front of a small building. Actually, it was a house. Well, it sure looked like it.

"This is your favorite restaurant?" I asked curiously as he opened my door for me. I stepped out to look at my surroundings. It was a pretty secluded area. Only rows and rows of small houses were around us. The streets were quiet and empty. It was almost silent. It also wasn't the cleanest environment. There was graffiti in certain places. Styrophone cups and chip bags were scattered across the street. We came up to the house and he knocked on the door. After a few short minutes, an elderly lady around the ages of 60- 65 opened the door and broke into a withered smile when she saw Nick.

"Nicholas," she smiled. "You're late. I finished making lunch about 15 minutes ago!" She fussed around fixing his curls and wiping at his face almost like a mother. She had graying hair, soft and faded brown eyes, and smooth wrinkles that only revealed itself when she smiled or laughed, which was a lot. She reminded me of my own grandmother, someone who I hadn't seen since I was 7. (Family problems).

"Sorry, Addie. I was showing a friend around," he grinned as he glanced at me. From what I know, she hadn't noticed me standing there. She turned around almost surprised.

"Oh! Well, how rude of me! I'm Addie," she came out to hug me. I wrapped my arms around her awkwardly and laughed.

"Miley," I smiled.

"Well, nice to meet you Miley. Nicholas rarely brings friends here. I was starting to think he didn't have any," she winked. I blushed thinking that I might be the first girl he ever brought here.

"Well, this is a special friend," he grinned.

Addie patted my hand with her own wrinkled one. "Well nice to see Nicholas has such pretty friends," she winked. I liked her already!

Nick led me inside the house. It was small, definitely small, but it was probably the homiest home you I had ever walked into. The house was covered with pictures; A LOT of them were Nick; Including Nick from all ages. There was a small couch in the living room with a small fireplace. Basically, everything was small. Small kitchen, small furniture, small hallway, but Nick never seemed so comfortable in his life. He plopped down on the couch and turned on the TV as if it was his own house. I suddenly asked myself how he knew this place, how he knew Addie. Before I could ask, Addie came out of the kitchen wiping her worn out hands on her '_What's Cookin Good Lookin_' apron. I laughed to myself. She was one of those people that you loved instantly. She was friendly, funny, charismatic, and confident. Oh, and she was probably the BEST cook I have ever met.

I was in the middle of basically attacking the chicken on my plate when I heard Addie and Nick laugh. I looked up blushing. "What?"

Nick turned towards Addie. "I told you she'd like it."

"Like what?"

"Addie's Famous Fried Chicken," he grinned.

I broke into a smile. "It's amazing, Addie. This is probably one of the best chicken… scratch that. BEST THING I have EVER eaten." I was already busy on the mashed potatoes. From what I saw, Nick was already done with everything on his plate. Addie smiled as she took her meal slowly, savoring piece by piece as if she had forever.

"I suggested that she should open her own restaurant. I would definitely sponsor it," Nick smiled as he looked at Addie.

"Me too! Well, if I had money," I laughed.

Addie wiped her mouth with a napkin and smiled. "Thank you, but I think I'm a little too old to open my own restaurant. Plus, I do have my own restaurant. It's a private one just for Nicholas and his friends," she smiled as she patted my hand again. She stood up slowly to pick up our plates, but Nick stood up first to help her.

"Thank you," she smiled softly as she sat down exhaustedly in her seat. She looked worn out, but I could see she was trying to hide it from Nick… Or maybe Nick made her feel better. I took her hand and covered it with mine.

"It's really nice meeting you," I smiled.

She flickered her worn faded brown eyes towards me. "Well, it's always nice to meet Nicholas's friends. He never introduces me. I think he's afraid to let people know about his past."

"His past?" I raised an eyebrow.

"He didn't tell you?" she asked surprised. She looked over her shoulder and saw Nick busy washing dishes across the room. "I'm , I mean was his foster mom. Well, for a few months. But then I had some financial problems and had to give him up to the orphanage again. But even then, I visited him every day." She smiled her eyes fading as if she were going back in time through her eyes; reliving the memories.

"So you adopted Nick?" I asked surprised. I always assumed he had spent his whole life at the orphanage.

"Well, I take in a lot of kids that need a home. Well, as much as I could handle or fit into this house," she sighed as she twisted together her knotted hands. "I just think that I have all this to give, so why not give it those who need it?" I looked at her worn out hands, imaging all the work she had gone through to improve complete stranger's lives. She wanted to give all that she had, which wasn't even much, and that made me feel almost guilt for complaining about my life. I had a home, I had a best friend, I had Nick, I had a family (well parts of a family), and I had chances some people would never have. I was lucky.

Finally, Nick came back to the table. "Well, we have to go. That was a great meal, Addie. Like always. He placed a hand on her fragile shoulders and she patted it softly.

"Well, it's always nice for you to visit. You need to bring this one more often," she smiled as she glanced at me with a secret smile. I grinned pushing out my chair. We walked to the front door, and Nick helped Addie get up.

"Bye, Addie," Nick leaned forward to kiss her wrinkled cheek.

"Bye," I sighed as I leaned forward to kiss her cheek too. She smiled softly, her eyes watering up as we finally turned around to walk back to the car. I looked back and she was leaning on the doorway waving at us. Finally, with tearing eyes, she closed the door.

"Is she okay?" I asked worried. Someone her age shouldn't be left alone.

Nick turned around to look at the closed door. "Yeah. She's fine. She always get teary when I leave. Happens every Sunday."

"Every Sunday?"

"I visit her at least once or twice a week. She gets worried," he explained as he opened my car door for me. "Oh, and Sunday is always fried chicken day," he laughed. I turned towards him. He had a hint of a smile on his face and his eyes seemed less exhausted and more like the Nick Grey I had seen when we first met in Egypt. I guess Addie had more magic to her than in her cooking.

"Where to now?" I asked, but Nick just smiled and drove. I guess it was time for the surprise. After a few minutes, we approached a steep mountainous area. I eventually decided to stop guessing and to just go along with it. Once we made it out, we hiked for the next 15 minutes. We were high enough to make my ears pop. Usually, I would have been scared for my life, being that heights were always my weakness, but ever since Nick's present, it almost seemed like nothing. Night was already starting to fall, by the time Nick had finally stopped. I was a few feet behind him, so he ran back and covered my eyes.

"Cheesy, much?" I laughed.

"Shhh," he whispered as he led me up the next few steps. Next thing I knew, I felt a smoother surface underneath my feet. Slowly he took his hand off my eyes, and I opened them to find thousands of bright stars below me.

Then I realized they weren't stars at all, but buildings and houses and streets. The lights that I thought were stars, was LA. It took my breath- away. It seemed as if I could reach out and carry it in my palm, yet it also seemed as if I was a world apart. Instinctively, I looked down and gasped in disbelief. Beneath my feet was the letter L. I was on the Hollywood sign. I was on the actually HOLLYWOOD sign. I didn't even think that was possible.

To think that a few weeks ago, I felt so isolated in my small town, to now staring down to the lights of LA and standing on the Hollywood sign feeling as if I could fly. Nick's hand suddenly grasped mine tightly as if scared I would disappear between his fingers.

"Welcome to my home."

After a few hours, we made ourselves back to the car. I was still in shock, and the fact that Nick actually took me there. He made me feel special. At home, I was known as the 'no one'. The one that people would usually refer to 'her' instead of my name. The one picture that people would skip through in the yearbook, the invisible one. With Nick, he made me feel as if I were the only girl on the planet. He opened doors for me, he surprised me with visits and presents, he took me to places where he didn't trust anyone else to go to, he took me to the top of the world. At that moment, I realized I did love him. I didn't even have to question it. I loved Nicholas Grey; deeply, insanely, and undoubtedly in love.

I turned around to finally tell him, but a phone rang before I could gather enough courage to say it. Nick picked up his blackberry to check the caller ID but put it down trying to concentrate on the road. Apparently, whoever was calling couldn't wait. After endless ringing, Nick finally answered it.

"What?" There was a few murmuring of voices on the other end. "Do I have to?" "No." "Yeah."

Finally, Nick succumbed to their request and turned the car around. "Listen, I have to go fix something up at the studio. It'll only take a few minutes."

"It's fine," I sighed. I looked up at the clock. It was already 9, but Lucas would probably fall asleep without me anyway. We drove to a massive sky scraper, and the minute we walked into a private lobby connecting to a conference room, Nick finally took off his hat and sunglasses. He walked towards the check in desk and the girl working there already seemed to know him. Even though she must have been 20 years older than him, she still blushed as he asked where his manager was. Finally, a man around his 30's in a dark navy blue suit stepped out and shook hands with Nick. He turned towards me giving me a quick look before slipping into the conference room with the man. The girl at the check in desk was eyeing me with a mixture of curiosity and envy. I sat down awkwardly pretending to take interest in a magazine. I laughed flipping through it and finding Nick on almost every single page (including the cover).

After a few minutes, two other people stepped into the room. I was still looking into the magazine not really taking much notice to them. A sweet upbeat voice checked in with the name Demi Summer…

DEMI SUMMER! I almost had a heart- attack in my seat. Demi Summer was one of my favorite singers in the history of ALL singers. I looked up and saw the familiar face I had seen on so many magazines and album covers. She had a pale heart- shaped face. Long straight black hair fell down her shoulders and she had dark black eyes that seemed to shine. She stood with such confidence that I stared at her with almost a hint of jealousy. The guy next to her, I didn't notice, but I did notice his hand intertwined with hers. She smiled as she tip toed to kiss him on the lips lightly before skipping into the same conference room Nick had just entered.

The guy she was with took a seat next to me. "Hey," he smiled friendly. "Are you here for Marty?"

I shook my head. "Actually, I'm with Nick." I closed my mouth instantly. What if this guy slipped that a mystery girl was seen with Nick to the tabloids? "So," I quickly said trying to change the subject. "Are you waiting for Marty?" (Even though I had no idea who the heck this Marty was)

"No," he laughed. "I'm here with Demi."

I looked up at him. "You're with Demi Summer?"

"Yup," he smiled softly. He picked up his own magazine and started shuffling through them.

"And you're not famous? At all?" I asked curiously.

He looked up from his magazine and shook his head. "Nope. I'm just Joe. Speaking of that. Let me introduce myself," he laughed and held out a hand. "I'm Joe Summer." I raised my eyebrow from the same last name, but my eyes wandered to the gold ring on his left hand. A wedding band.

I almost choked from shock. "You're married to Demi Summer?!"

He smiled looking down at his gold wedding band. "Yeah. Almost to our 1 year anniversary."

My eyes were glued to his finger, as my mind seemed to explode from all this realization. "But isn't it hard? Her being famous and under the public eye all the time, and you being just a typical guy?"

He took a few minutes to think before shaking his head. "It's hard. It's definitely hard. Her work can be really time consuming, privacy is almost impossible, stress from work and stress from everything…" He paused until finally breaking into a soft grin. "But it's worth it. It works out. It always works out. If you love someone that much, it'll always work out." He toyed with his gold wedding band. I broke into a creeping smile from his answer. Demi Summer; one of the most well- known artists and Joe Summer; a regular teenager like me were actually together. They made their relationship work out even through their different lifestyles. It suddenly made me more confident about Nick and me.

Finally, Nick, Demi, and a few other small celebrities I noticed from the magazine I was just reading stepped out and walked out the door not even taking a glance at me or Joe. Nick came out with a set jaw as if waiting to explode, but he kept it in.

"Are you okay?" I asked worried putting my hand on the side of his cheek. He stood there for a few minutes looking straight at me, but not at the same time. His eyes seemed to be wander inside his own mind; somewhere where I couldn't reach out to help.

"Nick," Joe stood up to greet him. From the way they acted with each other, I would say they were friends. Even after seeing Joe, Nick still didn't break into a smile. Not even that fake movie- star grin. I locked hands with him worried. Demi skipped out with a big smile on her face, which was no surprise since she always seemed to be smiling.

"Hey…" she droned as she caught my hand in Nick's. "And who is this?" she grinned.

Nick didn't seem to be in the mood to answer as he was busy thinking to himself, and I stood there star- struck. Demi raised an eyebrow as I just stood there staring. .. I was such a dork.

Luckily, Joe saved me. "This is Miley. We just met while we were waiting. Apparently, she's with Nick," he grinned wrapping an arm around Demi's waist. He slightly emphasized the words _with Nick._

"Oh, well nice to meet you!" Demi finally smiled and wrapped me in a hug. Oh my god!!!! I was hugging Demi Summer! While I was having a party in my head, Demi was busy talking to Joe and asking what they should have for dinner. Finally, Nick seemed to break out of his silence.

"I should get you home," he murmured. "See you guys later."

"Bye, Nick," Demi said enthusiastically as she hugged him goodbye.

"Bye, Miley," she hugged me again. OH MY GOD. Demi Summer hugged me TWICE! Party in my head #2.

Nick led me out the building as he put his hat and sunglasses back on. I was going to ask him what happened, but he didn't seem to want to talk about it. We drove back to campus in silence. Once we finally got there, he got out to walk me back to my dorm, but I stopped him. I couldn't have him find out about Lucas yet. Not tonight. Especially in his mood, and I was too exhausted to figure it all out.

"It's fine. I'm a big girl. I can find my way back…. Hopefully," I laughed. I leaned forward to kiss his cheek, not sure that he was in the mood for a real kiss. As if reading my mind, he turned around to meet my lips. The kiss was different from all our other kisses. Usually they were safe, and soft, and comfortable. This time, he kissed with needing. It was passionate, and powerful, and even more breath-taking if that was even possible. I felt as if I was floating in my chair. By the time, we pulled apart I was blushing from head to toe. I definitely wasn't prepared for that.

"Wow," I gasped biting my lip.

Finally, to my relief, Nick broke into his regular easy- going grin. "Goodnight, Miley Stewart."

"Goodnight, Nick Grey."

I stepped out of the car and made my way back to our dorm. I looked at my phone on the way and almost tripped over my own feet when I saw it was past midnight. That conference meeting Nick had was way longer than I expected. Lucas was probably asleep by now…

By the time I creaked open the door, the lights were still on just like last night… But Lucas wasn't asleep on that chair. He was sitting there waiting. "Miley," he said seriously. He had a knowing look in his eyes. He knew… he knew… he knew…

Damn. I was caught.

* * *

_**A/N: This is like 2,000 words more than my longest chapter before this. Hahaaa. I had a lot to write. So you met a few new characters, and there are definitely more to come in the next chapter, so wait for that. **_

_**Maybe even a re-encounter a certain Selena Jansen (hint hint). **_

_**What did you think about this chapter? Favorite part? REVIEW!!! :)**_


	16. Chapter 15: You're One Of Us Now

**_I was thinking about making you guys wait, but I felt like that was too harsh. Hahaa. _**

_**ENJOY! AND REVIEW!!! At least 5 reviews per chapter? ;)**_

_**

* * *

**_"Lucas," I jumped. "You scared me." I shuffled my feet innocently. His arms were crossed and his eyes seemed distant. I couldn't tell what he was thinking. I mean, what could he think? I was just caught lying about being in love with an international superstar that millions of girls throw themselves at. Also the guy that we both said we hated. That was it….

Oh god. He was going to kill me.

"Why didn't you tell me?" he asked quietly not being able to look me completely in the eye. "I thought we tell each other everything." He paused and I just stood there drowned in my own guilt. "Is that where you've been these past nights? With him?"

I didn't say anything, but I didn't have to. Lucas already knew the answer. After a few more beats of silence, Lucas patted the seat next to him. Slowly I made my way towards him. He still hadn't looked me in the eye.

"Luca-" I started.

"No." He took his face out of his hands taking a few minutes to himself. "Who is he? Just tell me that."

I sat there with my mouth gaped open. My mind was frozen. Lucas didn't know it was Nick… He didn't know it was Nick… He DIDN'T know it was Nick! I almost smiled, but I held it back. I would have to tell him sometime… but I just wasn't ready for it today. Lucas was already upset enough.

"Just someone I met." Okay. Technically, I wasn't lying. I did MEET Nick. I just didn't specify where and when.

"What's his name?"

I paused. "Nick," I mumbled almost inaudibly. I felt myself stiffen, but he couldn't have known. There had to be billions of Nicks around the world. His last guess would probably have been my Nick. Lucas nodded slowly. Finally after sighing he looked me straight in the eye.

"Sorry. I was just upset that you didn't tell me. I saw you in the front field this morning holding some guy's hand, and I was just so surprised, then I was mad at being surprised, and so on. I just thought you'd tell me the minute you guys met."

Great. Now he was apologizing, which only made me feel even more guilty. I felt like trash. What did he do the moment he met Sarah that summer? He ran and told me everything. What did I do the moment I met Nick? I lied. I was probably the worst friend on this planet right now. I decided to just keep my mouth shut, trying to prevent any more lies to slip from my mouth. I was already too deep into this. I just leaned forward and hugged him. He was so familiar. I had known these arms around me since I was a kid. When I was with him I just felt so much comfort. I couldn't lose my best friend. I'd tell him… I should tell him… I will tell him… Later.

"I'm really tired," I finally whispered as I leaned my head on his shoulder. Lucas rubbed my shoulder and let me go to get changed. By the time I had gotten back to the room, Lucas was already in bed. Awkwardly, I stepped into bed next to him. For the next few minutes, I just lay there staring at the wall and trying to figure out how I had ever gotten so deep into my lies.

Next to me, I heard Lucas turn. "Miles," he whispered. I shifted my position to face him. His eyes were still wide open like he couldn't sleep too. "I'm really sorry about all of that," he apologized again. He was doing that puppy dog face thing, and he wasn't even doing it on purpose. He was killing me. I stared back into his ocean- blue eyes and pushed back his blonde bangs to clearly see his face.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have kept it from you," I whispered.

He sighed. "Can you just promise me one thing?"

I nodded slowly.

"No more lies, okay? I hate lies, especially when I have to find out it's from you. Promise?"

I nodded, but couldn't meet his eyes. Luckily, Lucas didn't notice. "Promise." He pulled me into his arms, and I suddenly felt safe; all signs of guilt escaping my mind. Instead I closed my eyes, and slowly fell asleep in Lucas' safe and familiar arms.

* * *

I stared out Nick's Mustang window as we drove back to his house to pick up some things. I was still lost in thought about how to deal with the whole Lucas and Nick situation and kept silent for most of the car ride. Luckily, Nick seemed to be in a better mood.

"You're quiet today," he glanced at me. "Is there something wrong?"

I looked at him, and felt that un- ignorable feeling tugging in my chest; love. I couldn't lose him. But then there was Lucas. I loved him too, but it was different. It was just safe and comfortable. He was my best friend, always have been, always will. I couldn't lose him either.

I shook my head. "Just thinking."

"About what?"

I shrugged. "I don't know. A lot of things. I'm just in one of those moods I guess."

Nick nodded slowly as if understanding. To be honest, I wasn't only thinking about the Lucas and Nick situation. I couldn't help but wonder about what I was going to do with Dad. I couldn't ignore him for the rest of the trip. He had tried calling me; he even tried calling Mom to get to me (which I'm kind of worried about). The only thing he hadn't done so far was visit campus to see me face to face, which I kind of hoped he would. I didn't really know what to do with him. I definitely wasn't mad anymore, but I felt like I couldn't just let him off the hook. Finally, I decided to handle it later. Right now all I needed to do was relax. I was with Nick. Relax…

Finally after a few minutes, we had arrived, but it wasn't his mansion. We had stopped in front of an apartment, or more specifically a loft. Like always, Nick opened my car door and led me into the building. The minute he opened the door, and I got my first glance inside, I fell in love with it. It was definitely nothing like his mansion in Hollywood Hills, but this loft was perfect. It was the perfect size, not too glamorous, not too simple. It was basically MY dream home into reality.

Nick glanced back at me and grinned. "I'm guessing you like?"

"Can I have it? Pleasseeeee," I laughed. I stepped inside and took in every inch of the apartment; Ivory walls, smooth wood floors, 3 bedrooms, one master bedroom, 4 clean polished marble bathrooms, a large kitchen with a simple dining room, and a professional entertainment center in the middle of the living room including every movie I could possible imagine. It was actually messier than the mansion, but I would have preferred this 1000000x more than that 5 star mansion. This was more… me.

I made myself comfortable on the leather couch. "Why do you have two houses?" I called out. Nick came out of what I was guessing was his room with a stack of papers.

"Publicity stuff. This is where I usually stay. Well, most of the time. It's more private," he explained looking around.

"Can I please please please have it?" I pleaded again. He laughed and opened his mouth to say something, but a ringing interrupted him. He took out his Blackberry from his shorts pockets and raised a finger saying that it'd only take a minute (which of course meant at least an hour) Luckily, this time I didn't mind. I took that time to look through his DVD collection. I laughed to myself finding that a lot of them were movies that he had been in. After a 20 minutes of wandering around, I walked up to the room he had walked into to see if it would take much longer, but a loud voice shouted from the other side of the door.

"No, Marty. I am NOT going to give this up. This part was made for me." A burst of anger sounded from the other end. I was listening from the other side of the door, where Nick couldn't see me, but I could still hear the other guy's voices.

"I don't care if I'm starring with the fucking queen. TAKE MY CONTRACT OFF. I know I signed up for that, but change of plans."

"NO."

"NO."

"NO."

I waited at the bathroom door patiently waiting for the phone call to end.

"Listen, Marty," Nick half- screamed. I could tell from the sound of his voice that he was getting agitated. "I am Nick Grey. I am FUCKING NICK GREY. I can do WHATEVER I want, and I say I DON'T WANT to do this movie. You can't tell me what to do. I can RUIN you. Don't think I forgot about what I saw at last year's premier. I could make you lose EVERYTHING."

There was a few beats of silence, and the voice on the other end of the line grew to a quivering whisper. I was almost aching to hear what he said.

"Good. Now go end the deal." Nick hung up the phone abruptly. Finally, I got the courage to move my hand and knock. In less than a second, Nick opened the door flushed with embarrassment. I shouldn't have listened to his conversation, but it was kind of hard to ignore with all the shouting. I was still in shock to hear those words come out of Nick's mouth. That must have been the first time I heard him curse.

"Who was that?" I coughed awkwardly. Nick looked stunned as I watched him close his fist.

"No one. Just a manager," he explained forcing a strained smile. His face was still flushed from the phone call.

He was yelling at his MANAGER. Also the man who had discovered him. He was the man that was Nick's escape. Without him, Nick would have been nothing, and Nick was actually black- mailing him? I was scared at that moment. I felt as if I had no idea at all on who the stranger was in front of me. Not even the regular mass of curls seemed familiar. I saw the body of Nick Grey, but I saw the personality of someone I didn't know… someone who I don't think I wanted to know.

* * *

The next day, Nick was busy in interviews and rehearsing for Julius Caesar before he would fly to across the country to set, and Lucas had one final class orientation. I was standing in line at Starbucks waiting to get my usual coffee, when the door opened and flashing and shouting erupted. I turned around to see what was causing all the chaos and came face to face with Selena Jansen… Well, not really. She hadn't seen me yet. She was wearing a pair of thick sunglasses with designer jeans, a knit blouse, and 4 inch heels. This girl could pull off anything. She was with a group of 3 other people. Two whom I recognized as Joe and Demi. Everyone in the coffee shop turned to stare at them in awe. I could see a group of girls trying to find the courage to go up to them to ask for a picture.

"Excuse me," the girl at the cash register said trying to get my attention. I blinked turning around.

"Sorry. Um. Can I just have a regular coffee?" I turned back around to see them also walking towards the register. Awkwardly, I walked away trying to go unnoticed, but Joe JUST HAD TO notice me.

"Hey! Miley!" Joe called out. Slowly I turned around to see Joe coming over with an arm around Demi.

"Hey," Demi smiled. "How are you doing?"

Luckily, I wasn't too starstruck to actually get words to come out of my mouth. "I'm fine."

"So what are you doing here?" Joe asked, but Demi elbowed him.

"What else would she do at a coffee shop, Joe?" she laughed. He kissed the top of her head. "What would I do without you."

I looked around and everyone's eyes were on us. Some with questioning stares at me, others with glares of envy, and one or two who didn't seem to care. "Oh Miley! You have to meet-" Demi started, but a high familiar voice interrupted her.

"We've met." Selena Jansen stepped forward just as perfect looking as I remembered. She slid her sunglasses up to look at me. "Hi, Miley. Long time no see."

"You know each other?" Joe raised an eyebrow. "I thought you said you weren't famous," he looked at me.

"I'm not," I explained.

"We met on the set of Before the Storm," Selena finished. "Her mom was there to help us get into character. That's also where she and Nick met," he jaw tightened for a second, but she quickly smiled it away. "So Miley, what are you doing here?"

"I'm here with a friend who's going to UCLA," I explained.

Joe quickly asked, "Out of state scholarship?"

"Joe got an out of state scholarship for UCLA a few years ago too," Demi added.

"Well, he got a football scholarship."

Selena's eyes widened. "So you're here with a guy?"

Crap. I bit my lip trying to fix my mistake, but Selena was already smirking. The only thing I could do was pray that she wouldn't tell Nick. Luckily, an extremely tall blonde girl walked towards us and breaking any signs on continuing in the conversation. I instantly recognized her as Taylor Jansen; the country singer/model. Also known as, Selena Jansen's older sister. It was amazing how many celebrities I was grouped with. Just a few months ago, half of my high school didn't even know I went to that school. I was the one that everyone's eyes passed, or that girl that they'd bump into but wouldn't notice. Now I was pretty sure EVERYONE'S eyes were on me… on us.

"Hey. So I got Selena's double shot latte, Demi and Joe's frap, and my iced coffee," she looked down re- reading the receipt. Finally, she looked up and raised an eyebrow when she saw me in the group. She gave everyone a silent 'who-the-heck-is-this-' look.

"This is Miley Stewart, Tay," Selena answered. "Remember. I told you all about her."

Taylor suddenly nodded understanding. She held out a hand. "It's nice to meet you. I'm Taylor. I've heard a lot about you."

I suddenly started wondering HOW MUCH she knew. Selena and me didn't really have that much time to get to know each other well… And I'm pretty sure Selena didn't have a lot of good traits about me to tell.

"I'm a huge huge huge fan," I grinned as I shook her hand. She raised a teasing eyebrow, and I bit my lip regretting my words.

"I'm just messing with you," Taylor laughed. Suddenly the group of girls who had been trying to get a picture finally came up.

"Can we get a picture with you guys? We're HUGE fans," they mumbled excited. Selena turned around with that movie- star grin, identical to Nick's. It wasn't exactly a fake smile, but more forced.

"No problem."

One of them stepped towards me, and handed me their camera. "Can you take the picture?"

I stood there awkwardly but took the camera in my hands. Joe also stood off at the side smiling as he watched Demi wrap a friendly arm around a girl who looked like she would faint. I took awhile perfecting the lighting and spacing of the camera. I centered the group posing in front of me, the girls with huge goofy 'i-can't believe-I'm-standing-next-to-celebrities- i-have-to-tell-everyone-ASAP' grins, and Demi, Taylor, and Selena all with their own personalized smiles, but all having the same confident hint. I finally clicked.

"That took long enough," Selena smirked at me causing Taylor to giggle.

"Sorry," I apologized awkwardly. "I have a thing with photography."

"That's cool," Demi smiled reassuringly, trying to cover up Selena's comment.

"Miley; regular coffee," someone shouted and broke the tension in the group. I came up to the table to retrieve my coffee. Before leaving, I turned around to wave at them goodbye, but they seemed too busy in conversation. Awkwardly, I turned back around to leave. Suddenly, Selena's voice broke through.

"Miley, wait. Come hang out with us. We're going shopping at Rodeo, and I don't think you've had an LA shopping experience yet," she smirked looking at my faded jeans and t- shirt. I could hear from the sound of her tone that she really didn't want me to be there. Joe or Demi probably made her.

"Um. It's fine," I said. "I think I can live," I laughed as I looked down at my outfit. Suddenly Selena's face morphed into embarrassment from me rejecting her invite in front of a whole room of people.

"Nope, you're coming with us!" she took my arm. She might not really have wanted me there, but her pride got in the way. I looked around at the group's reaction. Joe seemed relieved, Demi looked happy, Taylor looked curious, and Selena looked determined. After getting all their drinks, we all smashed together in Selena's BMW, trying our best to fit.

The moment we had gotten out of the car, paparazzi were already waiting. The cameras were blinding me as I made my way down the street, keeping a steady hand on Demi's arm trying not to get lost in the mass of people.

"Here," Demi took out an extra pair of sunglasses. "It helps with the flashing." I was surprised at how determined these guys with the cameras were. Every move we made, they always adjusted themselves to the perfect position to capture a picture. I couldn't imagine that I had a connection to these guys; photography. I don't even know if you could call this photography. Photography was art, but did stalking around other people and trying to capture their worst moments; trying to get a picture that can ruin them count? To me, this was definitely not art. It was an obsession. I stood in the back awkwardly, with Selena and Taylor moving through the crowd as if the cameras weren't even there and Joe and Demi too busy flirting with each other to even notice. Everyone walking on the streets were holding their own cameras trying to capture a picture, and some just following closely behind just to stare in awe. The street was so crowded that I could feel someone pushing into me from left to right and front to back.

While all this chaos was going on, the paparazzi were also screaming random questions and messages, but they all ignored it as if they hadn't heard it at all. It was all so overwhelming. I almost covered my ears from all the shouting. "Selena, this way! Taylor; how's the new album going?! Jemi! Is it true that your marriage is falling apart?!" they were all shouting at once. "You! New girl! What's your name?!" I stopped in my tracks. They were talking to me. Shocked, I opened my mouth to say something, but Selena turned around and pulled me forward. "First rule, never answer the paparazzi questions unless you really need to." I nodded as if I were a student who had just gotten caught cheating. Selena laughed at my reaction, and linked me by the arm as if we were good ol' buddies.

Finally, we entered a top- brand boutique with a fancy French name that even I couldn't pronounce (And I took French for 3 years). The minute we stepped inside, everyone's eyes were on us, which only made me feel more uncomfortable. Suddenly, Selena's words to me echoed in my mind. _Act like you have better things to do that care about what they think… _Throwing my shoulders back as straight as I could, I followed them through the store, and suddenly everyone's eyes were fixed on me too. At that moment, I felt special, I felt significant, I felt famous.

"Good job," Selena smiled as she watched me walk almost identical to her pace. "You're learning."

* * *

By the time night had fallen, Selena had 7 bags filled with clothes, 3 bags of shoes,and a few small bags of jewelry. Taylor had bought a few new dresses and boots. Demi bought a new bag and sunglasses, and Joe just bought a new pair of sneakers. The biggest surprise of all though was me. I had bought 3 bags of clothing, which was probably more than I had ever bought in one time in my whole life. And the thing was that they didn't really need to pay for anything at all. Almost every store we entered was basically shoving free stuff at us in every direction. And even if they had no idea who I was, they knew I was with them, and that was enough. Out of the 6 new shirts I bought, I think I only actually paid for 2. I was really starting to like LA.

"Did you have fun?" Selena called from the front seat where she was driving. I could see a few cars of guys with cameras following us. They really never gave up. Next to me, Demi was already asleep as she was leaning on Joe's chest. He had a secure arm wrapped around her shoulder and the other holding her left- over smoothie. They really suprised me from what I thought about regular Hollywood couples. I thought most were publicity, or if it wasn't it eventually turned into one. I always thought that Hollywood couples never worked out, but the exception was sitting right next to me. They acted so comfortable with each other. They laughed at everything the other did. They were like best friends. I smiled as I watched Joe just watched Demi sleep. He had a peacefulness in his face, like if he could do anything in the world, he rather just sit there and watch her; to know that she was okay.

Selena's cough to answer her question broke my gaze. "Yeah. I had a really good time," I smiled. "Thanks again. I probably wouldn't have been able to afford anything."

"No problem," Selena turned around when we reached a red light. "You're one of us now."

* * *

The next morning, I woke up to the noise of Lucas in the shower. He had already finished all his classes, so we had more time to hang out… which would also mean less time with Nick.

I groaned pulling myself out of bed to clean up (Lucas was definitely not a clean person), but a knock on the door interrupted me. "Can you get that?" Lucas called from the bathroom. I could tell he was already done changing, but he was one of those guys who spent hours doing who knows what in there. Groaning again, I dragged myself, still half- asleep, to answer the door. I opened it and almost tripped while standing still from who was outside.

"Good morning," Nick grinned as he walked inside with another bag of food. He was still wearing my… or Lucas' baseball hat with those ridiculous sunglasses. I stood there in shock. This couldn't be happening. This couldn't be happening... this couldn't be happening.

But it was.

"Nick, what are you doing in here?" I whispered quietly, looking back at the bathroom door.

"Bringing you breakfast," he teased copying my soft tone. "What's with the whispering?"

But I couldn't make anything come out of my mouth. All I knew was that I had to get Nick out of here NOW. He couldn't find out like this. THEY couldn't find out like this. Without saying anything, I started pushing him out as he laughed confused.

He was already half- way out of the room when I heard the bathroom door open from behind us.

I. Was. Dead.


	17. Chapter 16: You're Listening Too Hard

_**Hope you enjoyed the wait from the end of that last chapter. Hahaa. (Even if it was only 2 days.)  
**_

_**I was going to wait longer, but I just wanted to get this done with, and since you guys gave me DOUBLE the amount of reviews I asked for which was 5, I thought I'd upload it earlier.**_

_**ENJOY. Oh yeah,... AND REVIEW. Please and thank you. ;)  
**_

* * *

In the middle of big moments, you'd think you'd remember everything. Not me. I always seem to remember the little things. Right now, my mind was set on the way the window was half open, the slow buzzing of the air conditioning, the faded blue converse scattered across the floor, the stain on the carpet from that bottle of water that I dropped when reaching to turn off the lights, Nick tapping his fingers on the side of his leg, Lucas whistling an old lullaby…

"Miles, Who was it?" Lucas came out towel drying his hair. Finally, Lucas looked up and met eyes with Nick. I stood in the middle of them awkwardly, not knowing if I should move. The tension was killing me. Lucas looked shocked as if he had seen a ghost. I mean, what were the odds that a world wide movie star would be randomly standing in your dorm room? Nick looked… Actually, I couldn't tell. He still had those thick sunglasses on so I couldn't see his eyes, but from the tightness in his mouth, I could tell he was just as upset and confused. For the next few moment, we all just silently stood there staring at each other, trying to piece together what was happening. Nick probably wondering who the random blond guy in the room was, Lucas wondering why a movie- star was in his dorm room staring at him, and me just wishing this wasn't happening right now.

"Miley…" Lucas droned out slowly as if still trying to figure out what was going on. "Um.." He couldn't seem to piece together his words.

"Who is he?" Nick finally got out motioning towards Lucas.

Offended, Lucas shot back, "Who are YOU? I mean, I know who you are, but what are you doing here?!"

Suddenly both eyes turned to look at me. "Miley, what's going on? Who is this?"

I stood there silently, my hands curled in tight fists. What was I supposed to say? _Hi Lucas this is my famous boyfriend that I've been dating for the last month, and I didn't want to tell you._ Or maybe even. _Hi Nick, this is my best friend Lucas who I came here with. Oh yeah, and we've been sleeping in the same bed.. OH YEAH! And he hates you!_ All I knew was that I was torn between two of the most important guys in my life, and thrown into a situation I didn't want to be in.

"Nick, this is Lucas. My friend. Lucas this is Nick," I explained keeping out the 'Nick; my boyfriend' part hoping he wouldn't ask, but Lucas seemed to already piece it together.

"Nick. THIS is the Nick you were talking about, huh? The guy I saw you with?" He didn't sound angry though. More disappointed and confused… and hurt. But even that was more painful for me to see.

"How long?" Lucas finally asked.

"What do you mean?" I mumbled.

"How long have you and…" he stopped. "Was it in LA? When we got here? Oh god. Was it all the way back in Egypt? You kept it from me THAT long?" He took his head into his hands. "And even when you promised no more lies."

"I was going to tell you, Luke, but-"

"If you really cared you would have told me a lot sooner," Lucas ran a hand through his hair. His eyes looked so soft and vulnerable, a way that I had only seen once, when he found out his grandparents had died in a car crash on a trip that he had given them, and it almost made me fall down to my knees and break down right there. I had hurt him.

Without saying anything else, Lucas grabbed a jacket and walked out of the room leaving me alone with Nick. I would have run after him. I should have ran after him… but I had Nick to talk to. He had kept silent so far, which I was grateful for, but from the stillness of his posture, I could tell he wasn't happy. Finally he spoke up, his voice cracking.

"And Lucas? I don't think you've ever told me about him," Nick said finally taking off his sunglasses. His eyes seemed a deeper shade of brown, almost a black. It reminded me of that powerful demanding look he had when he practiced Julius Caesar lines. It scared me.

"I did. Remember that friend I told you I came here with because he had a UCLA scholarship?" I explained innocently looking down. I couldn't meet his eyes, so I fixed my gaze on my bare feet shifting from foot to foot awkwardly. (something I did whenever I was anxious)

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry," Nick started. "I'm pretty sure you left out the HE part."

I couldn't say anything about that. Every time Lucas had come into the conversation, I would always use a different pronoun. And by the way I talked about him, it was easy to assume it was a girl. What other parent lets their daughter move across the country without parental supervision with a teenage guy?

"We're just friends, Nick. We've known each other since birth. He's like a brother to me. It's not what you think."

"No. He's not." Nick seemed to wander his gaze at everything around the room except me. For the first time since I had met him, Nick Grey looked unsure. "There's a reason you didn't tell me about him."

"Nick," I pleaded for understanding. I stepped forward, but he took another step back trying to keep a safe distance between us. I felt like a monster. Scratch that. Right now, I was a monster. "It's not like that."

He shook his head and laughed cockily to himself. "You don't even realize it." He ran his hands through his curls again, something he did whenever he was thinking. "Like I said, there's a reason you didn't tell him about me. There's a reason you didn't tell me about him. You're just too blind to see it."

Now, it took everything in me to not break down crying in front of him, but somewhere, somehow, I was able to stand up and look him in the eye. The only problem was I had nothing to say. His words started getting me to think. Why didn't I tell Lucas about Nick? It couldn't have been because I had feeling for him… Right?

I shook my head. It was impossible. I had known Lucas my whole life, and I never felt the way I felt with Nick. Never, but Nick seemed to take my silence as a yes, as he turned around to leave. Desperately, I grabbed for his hand, but he pulled it away. "I think if you actually had to think about it, you made your choice," Nick finally sighed. He didn't look angry anymore. Not even upset. Right now, he just looked exhausted and finished. He walked over to the door again, but I stopped him.

"Don't leave," I choked out. I could already feel the tears pushing through even through all the strength I was trying to maintain. "Please. Don't leave."

Nick seemed to second guess his choice for a second. His eyes flickered with almost a relief. For a second, his face transformed back into the Nick I had seen on the first day in Egypt when he told me about his past. I finally once again caught a glimpse of the raw Nick Grey. I knew he wanted to stay and apologize. If he didn't care about me, he would have left already… But he wasn't. He was standing there torn between two different things: what he was supposed to feel to what he actually felt. At that moment, I stared into those brown eyes seeing the connection between us. Both regular teenagers who both had scarred and troubled pasts; the only difference was that one had caught up and went ahead of the other. He had taken the other path. But in the same second his emotion slipped, he quickly covered it up again. That was what he was good at. Hiding. Covering. Faking.

In other words; acting.

"I can't trust anyone anymore," he closed his fists as he murmured it out almost inhumanly. He had finally opened the door and was half way out when I finally screamed the words that I had been holding for the last month.

"But I love you!"

I couldn't let him go. He couldn't leave me. I loved him. Nick seemed to pause at the door, again second guessing his choice, but this time he didn't turn around for me to see that raw Nick again. It wasn't supposed to happen like this, but it was the only words that I thought could change his mind.

It was the truth.

But the minute the words slipped out of my mouth, a shatter broke through my chest. When I told him, he was supposed to carry me up in his arms and hold me until every worry passed out of my body. He was supposed to kiss me until I felt like there was nothing more perfect in the world than that moment. He was supposed to stroke my hair as I lay my head on his chest taking in his familiar heart- beat. He was supposed to say it back so many times until I had convinced myself it wasn't a dream.

But instead, Nick Grey walked out the door without saying another word, not once looking back.

And I was left there alone; my words still dangling in the air around me, not taken or accepted. It wasn't supposed to be like this, I thought to myself. I stood there alone without Lucas or Nick. I had lost both of them in a single moment. How could that just happen? How could you lose so much in such a short time? How can one day go from being absolutely perfect to the next being almost unlivable?

And at that moment, I broke down. I cried about Lucas. I cried about Nick. I cried about Dad. I cried about Mom. I cried about mistakes. I cried about life. I cried about almost everything until I ran out of tears.

They always said that crying is supposed to cleanse the soul, but why even through all those tears, I still felt like my world had ended?

* * *

I realized that without Lucas and Nick, I had no one to go to. I walked down the streets of LA not really knowing where to go, except that I had to go somewhere. Every few steps, Nick entered my mind, but I pushed it back again. Then the next few steps, it would be Lucas. It just kept going on and on, but I couldn't think about them now. It'd be too hard. What was I supposed to do? Who did I care about most? Nick; the guy that I had quickly and irrevocably fallen for? Or Lucas; the guy that had been there for me to lean on, even since I took my first steps?

A few minutes of wandering around, I found myself standing in front of a familiar glass house. Dad's house.

I didn't even know how I got there. I didn't even notice what direction I was going. Maybe it was like how I coincidentally bumped into Nick in the street that day; faith. I instantly took it as a sign, and instead of continuing down the street, I walked up to the door and knocked.

The minute Diane had opened the door, she didn't seem surprised. She looked at me for a moment, taking in my messy tied up bun, my wrinkled clothes, and my red- rimmed eyes, and came up to me and just hugged me. I didn't realize how much I needed that until she had given it to me. The minute I was in her arms, I started crying again. I couldn't help it. There was so much inside me that I had been hiding that was finally making its way out. After a few minutes, she led me inside the house, and I self- consciously wiped my eyes trying to hide away all those signs of weakness. I never cried. I was raised to stand up for myself. I was one of those kids that didn't cry when they tripped or fell off their bikes. I was the one that pulled myself together, and put on a strong face… or at least waited til I was alone to cry. Breaking down in front of someone like that, showing that much vulnerability, was alien to me. Even through my own parent's divorce, I didn't cry a single tear.

"Do you want some lemonade?" Diane asked. "I remember you liked that a lot the last time you visited."

And finally, I laughed softly. It wasn't that loud or long. It didn't make my stomach hurt or tears of joy to escape, but it was enough to make me smile. "Yes, please."

Diane came back with a pitcher of lemonade and a few cups. She poured me a glass before sitting across from me. I looked around the room awkwardly, and she seemed to notice my stare.

"Don't worry. Your Dad's not here."

"Sorry about, um, last time," I mumbled guiltily, but she didn't seem upset. Instead she smiled encouragingly.

"It's fine. Your Dad told me everything," she sighed rubbing her stomach gently. "I'm sorry you had to find out that way. It must feel weird to know you'll be having a new sister… or half- sister."

I finally broke into another smile. "Actually, I'm really excited. I've been getting tired of being an only child."

Diane laughed. "Sometimes that's the better choice, especially when you have to grow up with 4 older brothers."

"Ouch," I grinned imagining this completely feminine sensitive woman sitting in front of me with a house full of men. "Well, it couldn't have been too bad. I have a friend who's basically like my brother."

"Yeah. It definitely wasn't horrible. I mean, they protected me through everything. But sometimes, just TOO protective," she smiled to herself as she seemed to go back through memories. "Bringing a boy home was kind of a challenge in my house."

"What did they think of Dad?" I laughed taking another sip of lemonade.

"Um," she grinned. "They… were okay with him, but you know brothers. No one is good enough."

I smiled thinking about Lucas and the day I had told him about Jeremy Sumpton in 6th grade. It was one of those cute, young, innocent crushes that everyone had. It was nothing serious. I just thought he was cute, and when I told Lucas, he started telling me all these things about Jeremy that I wouldn't have imagined. Most were probably lies like, he keeps jars of worms under his pillow to talk to at night, and that he had a picture of Mrs. Parker (Our 6th grade teacher) in the bottom of his underwear drawer. I guessed he didn't like Jeremy much…

After a few minutes of conversations about family, home, and memories, I noticed that she hadn't asked me what was wrong. She hadn't tried prying into why I was crying or why I had shown up at her door- step looking like I had just been mugged. Instead, she just wrapped her feet under her and took another sip of her lemonade and keeping her other hand on her stomach. It must have grown since the last time I had seen her.

She caught my stare and smiled. "Do you want to see the nursery?"

Excited, I nodded and followed her up the stairs. We walked past a lot of empty rooms that looked as if they had never been slept in, until we finally reached a small room covered in a light yellow wall paper. I walked in and smiled. There was a small crib sitting in the corner of the room, with the words 'Our Little Angel' engraved in a smooth cursive. The walls were covered with small adorable prints of smiling forest animals and their footprints. There were long windows with silk curtain where light escaped through and made the room almost look like the sun. It was beautiful.

"This is amazing," I sighed. "I know she… or he is going to love it."

"Don't worry. It's a girl," she sighed relieved, and laughed. She patted her stomach lightly taking a look at the room again. "I've been working on this room for awhile. It feels good to be appreciated. Your father always compliments it, but what do men know."

I laughed. "Exactly." After finally walking back downstairs, I made myself comfortable on the couch. "Do you know what you're going to name her?"

Diane shrugged. "Not yet. I feel like when I first see her, I'll know."

I nodded, smiling at the idea. Finally, I coughed preparing myself for the question I was about to ask. "Listen," I started awkwardly. "You don't really have to say yes, but I was just wondering if you had any extra rooms here? I kind of need a place to stay."

Diane's eyes widened excitedly. "Of course! It's going to be good to have another girl in the house. Actually, it feels good to have SOMEONE in this house. It's been starting to get lonely," she laughed and took my hand.

She was one of those people who you absolutely couldn't hate. She was kind, gentle, and welcoming. She reminded me a lot like Addie. "You're going to be a great Mom," I finally whispered.

She turned towards me with a hint of a smile on her face. "You think so? I've been so scared recently. I mean, I have this new person to raise. I'm going to shape who this person will become. What if I do something wrong? What if I mess it all up? What if I mess HER up?"

"You're not," I reassured her. "And we're all going to help. So if she doesn't turn out perfect, you can blame me," I laughed.

She broke into a soft smile and patted her stomach again. "I don't want her to be perfect… I just want… I just want to know that she'll be okay."

I smiled already sure that she would be. I had only known Diane a few days, but I could already see the mother inside her. She had that quality about her; patient, excited, and ready to do anything. Today, she even felt like a mother to me. Especially, with what happened today. From our easy and light- hearted conversations, I actually had almost forgotten about everything. Almost. Eventually, I knew I couldn't put it off forever.

"You're not even wondering why I showed up at your doorstep looking like I just got robbed?"

Diane shrugged. "I guessed that if you really wanted me to know, you would have told me."

I nodded slowly. "Can I ask you something?"

"Sure."

"If you had to choose, a general thing, would you choose your best friend? Or your boyfriend?"

She seemed to take a second to herself before answering. "Well, friends will always be there forever, and sometimes or usually boyfriends don't last."

I sighed knowing that Lucas was probably the right choice. I had known him since birth. He had always been there. But Diane wasn't finished.

"But sometimes, they do last, and sometimes friendship just isn't enough," she sighed trying to explain it the best she could. "I really don't know what to say. It's a hard choice. I don't think there really is a 'right' decision. There's always going to be something you're going to regret."

I sat down on a nearby plush couch sighing. "That didn't really help much, did it?" Diane asked taking the seat next to me. I shook my head slowly focusing my attention at my knotted hands on my lap.

"Okay," Diane sighed. "This is going to sound really cliché so just bear with me for a moment."

I looked up finally meeting her moss green eyes, something I hadn't noticed before. She took my hand into hers and just held it. "Listen to your heart. What is it saying?"

I shook my head exasperated and confused. "I don't know… I don't know. I can't hear anything."

She tightened her grip on my hand and hugged me again. That was when I broke into tears that I didn't even know I was holding. It wasn't streaming like earlier, but it was softer and slower tears that were just slowly releasing whatever was left.

"Maybe," Diane whispered. "You're just listening too hard."


	18. Chapter 17: I Will Always Be Here

__"Honey," Dad called from the front door as he was putting his stuff away. I could hear him coming closer, and I tightened my hand in a fist nervously. Diane patted my hand next to me. "Hey-" Dad stopped mid- sentence as he finally saw me sitting on the couch next to her. I turned towards him and smiled softly.

"Look who's going to stay with us," Diane smiled as she stood up slowly keeping a steady hand on her stomach. Dad seemed to stand there for a few minutes shocked before finally breaking into a grin.

"Hey, Miles." He held his arms out and I crashed into them without hesitation. I had missed this. I hadn't seen him since he had left Virginia and never came back for us. We stayed there for a moment and I promised to not cry this time. Which I kept…kinda.

"So," Dad grinned goofily (that was just how he was). "What's for dinner?" He came over to Diane and kissed her cheek.

"Pasta," she smiled as we walked into the dining room. I had expected a fancy array of silverware and centerpieces, a glass chandelier to be hanging above us as violins played while we had small talk on the dinner table (okay. Maybe not that elaborate, but c'mon.) I mean, just look at the house. It was a freakin' diamond, but instead when I walked in, there was a simple glass table that could fit about 4- 6 people with plain white plates and silverware. It wasn't the fanciest dinner I had ever had, but it was comfortable and what I would have preferred anyway.

Diane and Dad took the seats across from me as I slipped into a chair. I hadn't realized how hungry I was until my fork touched a piece of pasta. Next thing I knew, I was scarffing down everything on my plate. Across from me, Dad seemed to be doing the same thing.

"Wow," Diane laughed softly. "You really are your father's daughter." Dad and I looked up laughing as we both wiped away signs of tomato sauce on our faces.

"So," Dad finally said as he finished. "What's this I hear from you mother about staying with a boy?"

"A boy?" Diane raised a teasing eyebrow. "I don't think you told me about that," she giggled. I turned away blushing and grinned.

"It's nothing like that. We're just friends," I explained. Or used to be, I thought.

"That's what they all say," Dad said grimly as he kept attacking me with questions about my 'boy' friend. "Does he like touching you?"

I almost choked on my pasta. "What?! No. Ew."

"Does he like touching girls in general?"

"What?!! No Dad, no. Lucas isn't like that."

"Lucas? That's a pervert name, Miley."

I placed my head in my hands and laughed. "Dad…"

Diane seemed to be amused as she picked up our plates. "Well, Miley. I can for sure say that was the most interesting dinner we've had in a long time."

"Hey," my Dad said putting his hands up. "I'm just trying to make sure this guy doesn't try any unnecessary moves."

"Dad. I can promise you that Lucas isn't like that."

Diane came from behind him and kissed him on the cheek. "Don't worry, hun. This Lucas seems like a very very nice kid."

Dad sighed defeated, nodding slowly. "Fine fine… but can I just know his security number? You know, for emergencies."

Laughing, I stood up and wrapped my arms around him for a small hug before going upstairs to fall asleep. It wasn't until my head hit the pillow, that I started to cry.

* * *

I eventually had to face reality sometime. I just didn't want it to be today. I walked back on campus, stuffing my hands in my jacket pockets anxiously. I really wasn't ready to face Lucas yet. I had no idea what to tell him… How I could explain everything to him. But to my great relief, the room was empty when I entered it.

I was surprised to find that my stuff was exactly where I had left it. My bags of clothing from that day in Rodeo with Selena was still sitting in the same side of the wall that I had left it, my suitcase was still messily open in the corner of the room with clothes flying everywhere, even my converse (I swear!) were in the same exact spot under the study desk, untouched. I had expected Lucas to have already packed my stuff for me… Maybe he didn't want to have anything to do with me…

I shook my head shaking off the thought, and started putting together my things. It'd be too awkward to stay here now. Lucas probably wouldn't even want me to be here right now. After a few minutes, I was ready to go. I was thinking about leaving a letter of apology to him, but I ended up chickening out. This trip was supposed to help us get closer; to ensure that we wouldn't break apart while he was all the way in California for college. We were supposed to spend every last minute we had together. Now, I knew it wouldn't happen. It scared me to even think that this would be one of the last times I would ever see him. I had known him since birth. He knew me better than I knew myself. He was family, a listener, a savior, an escape, a friend, a best friend; MY best friend. I guess you could kind of put the blame on me. I mean, this trip was supposed to be for us, and I ended up spending almost every night with Nick instead of with him. I was distracted with what LA had to give. I was too caught up in the moment, and everything that I was trying to run away from was slowly catching up with me.

I took the dorm key that was hanging around my neck, and laid it on the table where he could easily find it. He had made it for me with a simple wire he had found in his backpack, because I had a problem with losing things.

"_Wait," Lucas had said a few days ago as he bent down adjusting the chain. His head was bent down and his eyebrows were scrunched like it always did when he was concentrating. I had leaned forward to get a better look at what he was doing, but he was in a too difficult position to see clearly._

"_What are you doing?" I had asked curiously. After a few short minutes, he finally stood up looking proud at whatever he had made. He held out a simple silver chain with a bronze key hanging from the end. "What's that for?"_

"_It's for you. It's a key to my dorm room," he laughed running his hands through his hair. "You seem to have been going around the city a lot in the afternoons, so I decided you needed a key to get back… And c'mon Mi. We all know you can't keep something for more than a day without losing it." _

"_Hey," I crossed my arms mocked offended. "That is not true."_

"_Remember that fish you bought?"_

"_Do not bring Gilly into this, Luke!" I laughed remembering the time I had randomly decided to buy a fish. After getting a small beta fish in the local pet show, me and Lucas had stopped to get some ice- cream (something we did every Friday afternoon from school) and after that, Gilly kinda just… disappeared._

"_I always wondered what ever happened to that fish," Lucas grinned taking a seat next to me. _

"_It's in a better place now, Luke, and that's ALL that matters."_

"_And to think," he cracked a grin. "that you didn't even last 15 minutes with it."_

"_All I know, is that I set it down on the table when we made our orders, and then I remember eating my ice cream and…" my eyes widened. At that moment, Lucas had broken into a deep set of laughter. One of those laughs that almost made you fall on the floor from laughing, and caused you to actually force yourself to stop or else your stomach would just burst. I had fallen into laughter next to him grabbing my stomach to control myself. Finally, after a few minutes Lucas calmed down and grinned at me._

"_Well," he said eyeing my stomach. "At least now we know where Gilly is." He smirked. "Or WAS."_

_I giggled and pushed him over. "Shut up."_

"_You shouldn't have done that," he winked as he tackled me on the sofa and tickled me until I was literally begging him to stop; something we've been doing since we were kids; the one thing that would always make me smile. I was kicking at him and giggling as his fingers scrambled across my stomach causing tears to roll down my face._

"_Stop! Stop!!!" I laughed wriggling out of his grasp. _

"_What do I get?" Lucas raised an eyebrow grinning. _

"_I…I don't … have hahaa.. anything," I tried getting out between laughs. _

"_Movie privileges for a month," he grinned._

"_No way, mister," I laughed trying to push his hands away, but that only made his tickle me more. If there was one weakness I could tell you, it was being ticklish. I was squirming in my seat trying to get out of his grasp, but he was on top of me blocking my escape._

"_Finee! FINE! Hahhaaha FINE!" I gasped out laughing. Finally, he sat back up with a satisfied smirk. _

"_You are too easy, Stewart."_

"_Shuushhh," I smiled still giggling softly. "Now what was it you wanted to give me?"_

_He finally pulled out the key from his back again. "So you can always find your way back," he smiled. _

_I took the small bronze key in my palm and smiled. He knew me too well. "So if you ever feel bored back at home, just fly in and come in whenever you want," he grinned rubbing the top of my head teasingly._

_I ignored the joke and tightened the key around my palm. "Thanks, Luke. This really means a lot."_

"_Just know that I'm always here, and with that you can always find me," he smiled running his hands through his hair nervously. I giggled and wrapped him in a huge hug, squeezing him until he started laughing. _

_I pulled away to put the key around my neck, where it rested right next to Nick's dog tag. _

I snapped out of the memory and finished packing. I noticed my camera sitting on top of a shelf and picked it up. Underneath was a thick manila envelope with my name written is Lucas' scrambled cursive. I opened it up curious and found a whole stack of pictures. He must have developed them a few days ago.

I came over to the bed and spread them out on the bed. Finally, I stepped away to take a look. There must have been hundreds of pictures here. They ranged from the day I had gotten them, to my first few days in LA. I looked around and saw familiar faces of crew members from the set of Before the Storm, I saw people from home smiling into the camera, and I saw landscapes ranging from sand dunes, to the Hollywood sign. I saw a picture of Nick trying to hide away from the camera, a picture of Selena grinning as she stuck her tongue out, a picture of Mom on the ground with her archeology tools, Lucas making a funny model- tease pose in his bedroom, Addie with her 'what's cooking good-looking' apron while taking out a batch of her fried chicken, Diane with her feet tucked in under her as she comfortably sat on the couch with a simple smile, and finally a picture of me in Egypt with Lucas' baseball cap on my head. I was squinting into the camera insecurely at whoever was trying to take the picture. My smile was innocent and looked as if I were about to laugh, and my hands were held out as if trying to get the camera back. I looked absolutely happy, but the picture a few inches next to it, caught my attention even more. It must have been around the day I had went shopping with Selena, Taylor, Demi, and Joe. I think Joe must have taken the picture accounting the messily focused shot. My head was pulled back also as if I were about to laugh, my shoulders stuck straight out, and my arm was linked to Selena's as she giggled into her perfect little palm. It wasn't me at all. Instead of my laugh looking natural, it looked almost menacing and too over confident, my posture was different… even my body language with my arm carelessly slung through Selena's looked unrecognizable.

Shaking my head, I put the pictures back into the manila envelope and stuffed it into my bag. I didn't need to worry about another thing at the moment. I slung my camera around my neck and made my way out. As I turned around to leave, a voice called from behind me.

"Miley!" I turned around and recognized the really pretty girl that had handed out room keys on the first day, Emily I think, to be running after me. (WHILE wearing 3 inch heels. This girl was good.) "Hey," she smiled as she caught her breath. She was wearing a pair of black skinny jeans, and a simple white v- neck t- shirt, yet she still looked absolutely perfect. I was almost jealous.

"Hi, Emily… It's Emily right?" I greeted politely even though the last thing I wanted to do was wait and risk the chance of bumping into Lucas.

"Yeah," she smiled. "Where are you going? You're leaving already?"

"Um. Actually, I have some family that live in LA, so I'm going to stay with them." I explained swallowing.

She nodded slowly flipping her perfectly straight blonde hair out of her eyes. How was this girl not famous? Just by walking on the streets of LA for a burger, she would have been offered a chance at a modeling gig.

"This doesn't have anything to do with Nick does it?" she asked looking me straight in the eye.

At that moment, my mouth literally hit the floor. How did she know about Nick? How did she even know I knew Nick? What? How? When?

"Don't worry," Emily smiled comfortingly noticing my confused stare. "Me and Nick are close friends."

Suddenly everything started clicking into place. Nick had said when I had asked how he found out where I was staying that he had a friend who went here. I always just assumed that his friend was a HE. Not a she (AKA the prettiest girl in this entire planet.) Suddenly, my disappointment at myself flashed into anger. HE was mad at ME for keeping my friend a secret, while he was keeping his own secret?

"He's told me a lot about you," she grinned.

I looked up to meet her perfect green eyes and couldn't say anything back. What was I supposed to say. _Oh really? Well, he actually hasn't mentioned you to me before… AT ALL. And now I'm kind of pissed because he's being a total hypocrite. Yup. That's pretty much it! _

No. That was not going to work.

Instead I turned around without saying anything else, and just walked away. Luckily, Emily seemed to get the message and didn't follow me. I slipped into Diane's van, and just drove and drove and drove.

* * *

On the way back home, Diane had called me to pick up a few groceries so I ended up having to stop at a local Ralphs. I entered the sliding doors and saw it was bustling with people. I pushed through a young mom as she struggled with putting her toddler in the cart seat while making sure her son wouldn't run off again, a tall middle- aged man in a suit as he attempted pushing his cart of frozen dinners and keeping his phone in place with his shoulder, and finally a small elderly lady trying to grab a box of oatmeal from a high shelf. It took me a minute to realize that it was Addie. I knew it'd be awkward due to the fact

"Addie?" I smiled as I grabbed the box for her. She turned towards me with a building smile.

"Miley! How are you dear?" she smiled, her mouth crinkling at the ends.

"I'm doing good," I lied. "Are you here all by yourself?" I asked wondering if Nick had driven her here.

"Yeah," she said. "Just grabbing some groceries and some more ingredients for my fried chicken. The orphanage is having a pot luck next Wednesday. You should come," she smiled softly.

"Um. Maybe," I answered awkwardly.

"So, I was disappointed to see that you didn't come with Nicholas to visit me a few days ago," she said.

I shuffled my feet awkwardly looking at my knotted hands. "Um, yeah. Sorry. It's kind of complicated right now."

Addie patted my hand comfortingly. "Don't worry, dear. Nicholas is just hard headed. He'll get over whatever all this nonsense is about soon. That boy just likes to cause drama. When he was 8, I had given him a peanut butter sandwich and had sliced it wrong, and he locked himself in his room for the day," she laughed as her green eyes softened. I giggled too imagining Nick at 8 years old stamping his feet from a peanut butter sandwich. "He just needs time to simmer down."

I nodded and smiled. Addie wiped a stray gray hair from her face before finally sighing. "Well, I have to get going, dear. It was nice seeing you." She hobbled over to the register.

"Wait," I called out following her. "How are you getting home? Do you have a car?"

Addie seemed amused. "Oh lord no. I'm using the bus home."

I worried about her. She was getting too frail to carry all her groceries back home. "Hey. What about I just drive you home? It's on my way anyway," I smiled encouragingly.

She shook her head. "No. It's fine. I don't want to cause any trouble. I can handle myself fine." She continued paying for her groceries and tried walking out, but had to stop to catch her breath. "I don't remember buying this much," she sighed.

"C'mon, Addie. The car I'm driving has a big trunk," I persuaded.

Finally after a few moments thinking to herself Addie smiled. "Thank you, Miley." After picking up some fruit that Diane had asked me to get, I took her bags and walked her to the van. As I finished putting everything in the back, I helped Addie into the passenger seat. While I was driving, I noticed her staring at me.

"What?" I asked embarrassed.

"You know that Nicholas told me all about you when he came back from that set in Egypt. He seemed different… happier," she smiled softly. "His face would light up whenever he mentioned your name, and about how funny and perfect you are."

I blushed but shook my head. "Nick doesn't think anything is perfect."

Addie seemed to smile at this. "I know. But he doesn't think anything is perfect in general. But you see. You're perfect for him. Just for him. Those were his exact words."

I blushed even deeper keeping a close eye on the road even though my mind kept wandering to Nick and his cute curls that seemed to fall on his forehead whenever he laughed.

"And I was so curious about you that I asked him to bring you here the next time he got the chance, and he did," she grinned. "You know that you're the only friend that he's ever introduced me too. I think he's scared to show everyone his past; like I'm a scar to him that he's constantly trying to cover up," she sighed.

"That's not true. Nick cares about you a lot," I answered truthfully.

Sighing, she nodded. "Oh. I know he does. I'm just worried about him sometimes. He always closes himself in. I think he's scared to remember his past sometimes. He refuses to even pass by the street of the orphanage he grew up in."

I nodded understanding. Whenever the conversation had gotten too far about his past, he would quickly change the subject and build up those walls again. Maybe he just didn't know how to tear them down yet.

"Here we go," I smiled as I pulled up into the small driveway. I helped Addie out and carried her groceries inside. "So. I guess that's it."

"Thank you again," Addie smiled as she patted my hand again. "So think about that pot luck at the orphanage. You can bring anything you want. And if you come I'll bring an extra plate of my chicken just for you."

"Okay. I'll definitely think about it," I laughed.

Addie turned to look at me with her faded moss eyes. "You know, I think you're the best thing that's happened to Nicholas in a really really long time," she paused trying to find the right words to say. "Thank you."

I blushed wanting to say something back, but closed my mouth and just nodded. I leaned forward to give her a small hug before turning around to leave. All the anger that had grown from finding out about Emily seemed to simmer down as I grasped one hand on the dog tag necklace that still hung around my neck. I wasn't angry. I don't think I ever was. With him, I could never be. It was either frustration or annoyance, but never anger or hate. I hoped that what Addie had said was true. I couldn't even imagine it just ending like that, and there was so much more to Nick Grey that I had to know.

But for now, all I could do was hope.

* * *

_**A/N: What did you think? And don't worry about Nick and Lucas and where they are. Just review and I'll post the next chapter which will definitely answer all your questions. **_;)

**_I wanted to focus this chapter on the simpler characters like Diane, her dad, and Addie. _**_**Oh, and Emily! What do you think of her? Like her, hate her? **_

_**And I have a youtube video I made of a preview of this story if you want to check it out.**_

_**.com/ItsMileyNick123 --- It should be somewhere there. :)**_

_**Thanks for reading and sorry if the chapters start taking longer than usual.  
**_


	19. Chapter 18: Awkward?

The next day, Diane had a doctor's appointment for a sonogram, so I ended up touring around LA with my camera again. The only difference was that this time, instead of capturing the big building and tourists sites, I started taking pictures of the simple things; the local park, a small family walking down the street, a teenage couple around my age walking hand in hand, and an elderly man helping his wife into their car. It was amazing how much you could realize from behind a lens. Right there, with my camera in hand, and life going on around me, I felt at peace.

I was walking down Sunset when a hand grabbed me from behind. Surprised, I turned around sharply, camera in hand to defend myself. Next thing I knew, Joe was laughing at me.

"Hey, Miley," he laughed as he stared at the camera raised defensively in my hand. Embarrassed, I put it down.

"Hey, Joe. What are you doing here? Where's Demi?" I said casually. He was one of those people that you instantly felt comfortable with. It reminded me of Lucas.

"She's working on her new album," he smiled. "So while she's busy doing that, I've been busy looking for the perfect anniversary present. And I'm running out of time."

"Well, what are you thinking about getting her?" I asked.

"Um, I'm not sure. I just want it to be significant. I mean, it's our first anniversary. It can't just be amazing. It had to be… um… whatever is better than amazing."

I laughed softly and nodded my head. Suddenly a huge flash blinded me for a second as I tried to refocus my attention. I heard Joe groan next to me as he quickly led me to a nearby store. I could hear random shouting going on as he helped me get through. I had no idea what was happening. There was too much flashing happening to give me time to regain my vision. By the time we had finally gotten inside the store, it took me a few moments and multiple blinks before I could see Joe clearly in front of me again. He looked annoyed.

"What just happened?" I asked confused.

"Paparazzi," Joe groaned.

"Even when you're not with Demi?" I asked even more confused.

He nodded and sighed. "Sometimes just talking into a celebrity will cause them to follow you around. Dating them or in my case marrying them is a completely different thing. You basically become famous yourself; just for different reasons." He looked back to see if they were still there and apparently he didn't like what he saw as he asked the store owner for a back entrance.

"It must be hard," I said sympathetically.

Joe shrugged. "It's worth it. It's definitely worth it," he smiled to himself. "And you should know. Dating NICK GREY probably isn't very… um…peaceful."

"Well,' I said awkwardly. "The public doesn't really know yet… And we're not really um… It's complicated." I shuffled my feet, and to my relief Joe didn't seem to pry. He simply nodded and led me to a back door which led to a long alley. Instead of going back on the street, he walked to a sleek black car. Without asking, I got in as he drove. Somehow, the papparazi seemed to pop out of nowhere and snap shot after shot. Even through the tinted windows, the flashing still annoyed me.

"Here," Joe said taking out a pair of thick black sunglasses. "I always keep extras."

I laughed as I put them on. We drove a few miles, long enough to lose anyone who might have been following us, but not too far to actually get out of the city. Finally we stopped at a local park. It was simple and quiet, and exactly what he was looking for.

He settled down on a seat and stretched out his arms. "Much better."

I grinned as I took the seat next to him. "So about this anniversary present with Demi…"

"Right," he said finally getting serious again. "I want to make it really something to remember."

"Well, tell me how you guys met. Tell me everything from the very beginning. And we'll go from there."

He sighed preparing to tell the story. "Well, actually we met in this park right here. She was shooting a new music video, and I was just here relaxing. It was one of the only places I was really comfortable with since I had just moved to LA a few months ago. She was getting a drink at that corner over there," he pointed. "And I had tripped. She actually laughed so much that the water that she had been drinking sprayed out of her mouth."

"Wow," I laughed. "That's romantic."

He grinned. "And after that she got really embarrassed, and I don't know what came over me, but I just leaned forward and kissed her. I hadn't even said a word to her. I didn't even know her, but at that moment it just felt right. And to my relief she didn't pull away. After that, it all kind of happened from there. It all went pretty fast. 6 months later, we were engaged. Another few months later we were married." He paused smiling to himself. "And I don't regret a single thing."

I stared up to look at Joe Summer. His eyes were soft as if he was lost in thought about something else, a simple smile (one of those you absolutely couldn't control) was creeping to the corners of his mouth, and his fingers tapped on the bench anxiously.

"Wow," I sighed letting his words sink in. "That… that's… I don't even know what to say."

"Most people didn't approve of us getting married so young, but it just felt right. Like an instinct. I mean, if I hadn't kissed her that day in the park, I probably wouldn't be married to her today… I probably wouldn't even know her. And we loved each other. So why not, right?"

I nodded. For some reason, their story reminded me of Mom and Dad's. They had met when they were young, and had married the first chance they got… but also there was a difference. I couldn't exactly realize what it was, but I knew it was there.

His words also reminded me of Nick. The day we had met; if I hadn't dumped that water on him, who knows where I would be now. Definitely not talking to Demi Summer's husband in LA. That's for sure. Nick probably wouldn't have noticed me. He probably would have even cared who I was. I might still be at home watching a movie with Lucas, like always. Maybe I wouldn't be stuck in such a complicated situation. Maybe everything would have been okay… but I did dump that water on him. And we did meet. And we did fall in love. And I wouldn't change a single thing.

"Well, maybe you should do something related to this park," I said shaking away my thoughts. "Someone once told me that life is like a movie; it has a beginning, a middle, and an end. I think this is your beginning."

Joe seemed to hint a smile as he nodded. "Yeah. I think I have an idea now." He paused as he looked to his left. "Wanna see something?"

Curiously, I nodded and followed him to an enormous oak tree at the center of the park. It loomed over us majestically and the trunk was covered with hundreds of engravements around the trunk. "What is this?"

He circled the tree for a few moments before finally stopping. "Here," he called out for me. I followed him and found him staring at a small engravement on the side of the trunk saying J.S. + D.S..

"Is that you and Demi?" I smiled at him. He placed his hands to his side and nodded. "And what's all these other initials?" I asked staring at the series of initials carved all over the tree trunk. There were some in cursive, some in print, some in languages that even I couldn't understand.

"This tree has been here forever," Joe sighed. "People believe that if you carve your name on here with someone else's, you'll last until this tree dies, and this thing is known to live forever… Or at least close to forever," he laughed.

"Wow," I sighed admiring the hundreds to thousands of initials. I smiled to myself imagining people from all over the world's initials on this tree. I imagined couples of every kind, and how we all came together right here. This tree was a huge symbolism to what people believed in.

"We carved our names on here when I proposed," Joe explained. "That's why she carved her initials with my last name," he grinned. I looked towards him and found that glazed gaze whenever he was talking about Demi. Tree or not, I already had a feeling that these two would last. When you loved someone that much, there was no other choice.

Finally after a few minutes, Joe sighed next to me. "It's getting late. Demi's probably waiting for me to pick her up."

We got back into his car as he drove me home. We had a simple and comfortable conversation about random things that popped into our minds, and I had to admit this guy was hilarious. When we finally pulled up to Dad's house, a bunch of paparazzi had found us again. These guys were amazing at this. Though 'amazing' wouldn't exactly be the right word.

"Hey," Joe said as I was about to leave the car. "Just warning you that there might be some new rumors surfacing of you being my 'mystery girl'," he laughed.

I grinned sarcastically. "Well, good luck with the anniversary gift."

"Wait!" Joe called out again as he dug through the back seat for something. Finally, he came out with a small envelope. "Here. We're having an anniversary party for close friends and family that weekend… which is this weekend."

"Are you sure I fit into any of those categories?" I asked awkwardly.

Joe grinned. "Of course. I'm actually glad I found you. All of Demi's other friends never seem to meet anyone not famous. Selena for once. Demi tried setting her up with a guy I had introduced her to from UCLA, and Selena stood him up."

"Ouch."

Joe laughed. "He's fine. He lived."

I laughed to myself. "Well, thanks for the invite. I'll probably be going." I stepped out of the car wearing the thick black sunglasses that Joe had lent me and pushed through a small crowd of paparazzi. They were screaming random things out such as 'Are you Joe's 'other woman?' , 'Is Jemi's marriage falling apart?', which I almost laughed out loud at, but I just bit my lip and made my way safely into the house. Diane seemed to have been home for awhile as she came out wearing her apron and some flour smeared on her forehead.

"What's going on out there?"

I grinned secretly. "Nothing."

She walked up to the window and saw the group of guys with cameras. "Is that… papparazi? Taking pictures of… you?"

"Well, not really me," I mumbled. "More like Joe Summer."

"Who's Joe Summer?" Diane asked oblivious. I laughed and shook my head.

"I'll explain it all to you later." Diane seemed to accept my answer as she nodded. I was about to run upstairs to change into something more comfortable when Diane called after me.

"Miley! Wait. There's someone here waiting for you."

I turned around and entered the living room curious.

A guy in a red plaid shirt stood up awkwardly from the couch. "Miley."

I stood there frozen. Oh my god. He was here. He was actually here. Finally, I ran into his arms and stayed there until I managed to get words to escape my mouth.

"I missed you," I whispered. "I missed you so much."

_**(A/N: I was going to end it right there, but I thought it'd be too mean. Hehee.)**_

* * *

Lucas finally pulled away and smiled that goofy smile I loved so much. "I'm sorry about… I overreacted. When I came home that night, and you weren't there, I was worried. And then the next day when I came back and all your stuff was gone, I was frantic." He grinned. "Do. Not. Ever. Do. That. To. Me. Again."

I laughed and pulled him in for another hug. He was so familiar, like a part of home that I was able to keep with me. "It's okay. I should have told you."

"Yeah," Lucas nodded. "You should have. But since I'm a sucker for apologies, I'm going to forgive you."

I grinned and sat him down on the couch asking him every single question I could think of; and until every single word that we had missed out on during our fall- out was recovered. Lucas was back, and I was happy.

Well, not as much as I could be, but it was a start. As guilty as I felt, even when I was there enjoying Lucas' familiar company next to me, I couldn't seem to take my mind off Nick Grey and when I'd be able to see that mop of curls again. Without realizing it, I grabbed for his dog- tag necklace which still hung around my neck. Lucas noticed and raised an eyebrow.

"Where did you get that again?"

"I," I paused and sighed. No more lies. "Actually, Nick gave it to me."

Lucas seemed to waver for a second, but a soft accepting smile soon layered over it. "Well, it's nice. It matches you."

I giggled awkwardly. "You're not the first person to say that."

"Okay. I know I said I wanted you to tell me everything like I told you about Sarah, but for this one time, let's not. It's too… awkward for me including the circumstances," he explained.

"It's fine. We're not really together right now anyway, so there's not much to tell."

Lucas looked up at me as his ocean blue eyes softened. "I'm sorry."

Shaking my head, I answered, "No. Don't be. It's not your fault.' Instead of arguing, Lucas seemed to look at all the crystals in the house as he leaned forward to me.

"Um… What is up with this house and shiny stuff? It's kind of freaking me out."

"It's a rich LA thing," I smirked. He seemed to take my answer seriously as he nodded.

Laughing, I answered him in the best possible way I could, and soon enough we were talking as if none of that drama had ever happened. It was good to have a best friend back.

The next day, me and Lucas spent the whole day together touring LA (something we hadn't been able to do since we had arrived.) I showed him all the hot spots and luckily he didn't notice the one or two paparazzi that were following us. I had brought my own camera and was snapping picture after picture as Lucas posed next to the most random things; a fire hydrant, a pole, a guy on the street selling ice-cream, a stop sign, and spider- man (Don't ask.)

By the end of the day, we had found a local ice cream parlor similar to the one at home and just sat down as if we back in Virginia. I had gotten strawberry cheesecake ice cream, while Lucas went wild with his chocolate dipped double scooped rainbow swirl.

"Woah there," I smirked sarcastically as I saw his order.

"More like YUM," Lucas grinned already eating away at it. I laughed pushing up the sunglasses Joe had lent me.

"Since when did you start wearing sunglasses?" Lucas asked between bites.

"Um," I said. "Lots of lights. My eyes are really sensitive."

Lucas gave me the 'seriouslyjusttellme' look as he raised an eyebrow. Sighing, I answered. "Okay, okay. Paparazzi are starting to follow me… and it can be painful."

"But I thought you said no one knew you were together with Nick yet."

"Yeah," I sighed. "But I've kind of been hanging out with other celebrities while you were in classes."

Lucas raised another eyebrow. "Like who?"

"Um, no one special," I mumbled taking a spoonful of iceream hopefully big enough to stop talking. Nope. Not big enough. "Demi Summer, Taylor Jansen… Selena Jansen."

Lucas' eyes widened as he almost choked on his ice ream. "DEMI SUMMER AND THE JANSEN SISTERS?!!!"

"Yup."

"Wow."

"Yup."

"Wow."

"I think we already said this."

"Wow."

I shook my head laughing at his awe struck expression.

"Actually," I remembered the pink envelope still in my bag. "Demi and Joe are having an anniversary party tomorrow. Do you want to come with me?"

Lucas' eyes widened. "Am I allowed to?"

Laughing I slapped him on the forehead teasingly. "It's not illegal if that's what you're asking."

"You know," he stretched his arms out jokingly. "I'm actually starting to not regret being your best friend."

"Shut up," I grinned. "I can always take the invite back."

Lucas seemed to shut up with that as he shoved one last spoonful into his mouth. "There. I'm shut up," he mumbled, his mouth full.

Grinning, I took another spoonful of his ice cream and shoved it into his mouth also. His mouth ballooned as he tried swallowing all the ice- cream at once. I laughed and took my camera out to take a picture. I centered it on Lucas' laughing face as he struggled to swallow it all at once. Finally, I clicked. I looked at the picture I had just taken. Lucas' mouth was stretched double its size, his eyes were squeezed up as if he were concentrating, and his hair was a mess from wearing a baseball cap, yet he still looked absolutely perfect… okay maybe not perfect, but pretty dam close. It reminded me of Selena. It amazed me how much someone could relate to someone else who was almost completely different. Across from me, Lucas seemed to have finished swallowing as he held up his arms in victory.

Grinning, I took another picture of him with his arms up and a smug look on his face, before finally taking another bite into my own cup.

* * *

Honestly, when I had walked up to Demi and Joe's house, I expected a full on mansion. I mean, Demi Summer was a world- wide recording artist. She was known everywhere. But instead, as me and Lucas walked up, we were surprised to be standing in front of an apartment or more specifically a studio lot.

"Are you sure this is the right place?" Lucas asked readjusting his tie. His straight blonde hair was pushed to the side, and he was wearing dark navy slacks. He looked kind of nervous and fidgety as he constantly ran his hand through his curls, and I just laughed and kept one arm around his.

"Yup," I nodded pointing to the mass of strangers on the street waiting with cameras. We were deciding on how to push through but instead a vibrating in my bag broke my thinking. I looked and saw I had gotten a text from an unsaved number. _Go to the back entrance._

I was guessing that was either from Joe or Demi, so shrugging I led Lucas to a back alley where there was an open door leading up a flight of stairs. We made our way up until we reached a door down the hall where loud music was coming from. Awkwardly, I knocked, and Joe came out to greet us.

"Miley! Hey!" he smiled taking my coat. He looked over at Lucas questioningly.

"Oh! Joe, this is Lucas, my friend. Lucas, this is Joe Summer."

Lucas smiled anxiously as he shook Joe's hand. "Nice meeting you."

"Well," Joe looked around. "There's food over there. The living room is down that hall, and Demi should be there being the hostess," he smirked. A small golden retriever paddled down the wooden floor and leapt into Joe's arms. Laughing, Joe hugged the dog close. "Hey, Damien. This is Miley and Lucas."

The golden retriever stuck up its nose at sniffing curiously. I had to admit; this was probably the cutest dog I had ever seen. Mom had some weird allergy to a lot of things with fur, so we never really had pets in our house. Well, except fish, but you know how that turned out. "Hi, Damien," I cooed rubbing the top of its head. He seemed to enjoy it as he tongue slithered out and licked my palm. "Wow. When did you get him?"

"Um. The day we moved in," Joe laughed. He put the dog down and it scampered off down another hall as we followed Joe down the trail of voices. The minute we entered, the first thing that caught our eyes was Selena Jansen. (Of course.) She was wearing a simple white strapless dress that hugged her body comfortably. Her hair was pulled up except for a few escaped strands that slid to the sides of her temples angelically. Her soft brown eyes flickered to me, and then moved towards Lucas with a more curious stare. Soon, Demi and Selena were walking towards us.

"Miley," Demi came over and gave me a small hug. "So nice to see you could come."

Selena eyed Lucas. "And who is this?"

I turned towards Lucas and saw that he was looking as nervous as he could as if he had just seen God, except this time his stare wasn't at Selena. He shook Demi's hand excitedly. "Hi! I'm Lucas, and I am a huge fan." Selena's eyes flickered surprised then confused that someone had just ignored her ( a GUY to be more precise.)

I had completely forgotten how big of a fan Lucas was of Demi Summer. We both were actually, but he was the one with the CD's. I'm pretty sure, he had no romantic interest in her (Lucas wasn't like that), but it was still pretty funny to see Selena get dissed probably for the first time in her life.

"Ehem," Selena smiled sweetly, shaking off his lack of attention at her. "Hi. I'm Selena. Selena Jansen."

Lucas turned towards her with a soft easy- going smile, nothing special, just a smile, but Selena seemed to accept it anyway. "Hi. I'm Lucas; Miley's friend."

"Oh," she smiled. "Miley's told me a lot about you. So you go to UCLA?"

Shrugging, Lucas slipped his hands in his pockets. "Not yet, but I will be."

"Well, we should be seeing each other more often. I know everything about this city," Selena smiled, doing a pouty thing with her lips. Again, Lucas didn't seem to notice her flirting as he excused himself to use the bathroom. As he walked away, Selena seemed to stare at him. Finally, she turned towards me.

"So what's with him? Is he gay?"

Laughing, I shook my head. "Nope. Fully straight."

"Then what's wrong with him?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well," Selena looked confused. "Most guys would have caught those signs and went along with it. He just acted like… naturally."

I started laughing again, but Selena gave me a sneer. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, but maybe he's not interested. He's kind of picky with girls."

She turned around taking another look at Lucas as he asked Joe where the bathroom was. "Damn. You get all the good guys."

I smirked and got into an easy conversation about our plans after summer. Well, not really. I just listened. I honestly had no idea what I was going to do when I got back home and faced reality. These last few days were like a dream. Hanging out with celebrities from LA; kind of surreal. Selena was talking about a small tour, before shooting a new movie in New York, while Demi was talking about releasing her new album and planning her next tour. I felt almost jealous. They had so many things laid out for them to choose from. They had so many choices, and I was stuck at home with one choice. University of Virginia for four years, and who knows what after that.

Suddenly, I heard Joe's voice leading someone else down the hall and into the living room. I saw Selena's eyes shine for just a second as she saw who was coming in. My back was faced to them, so I couldn't see, but I didn't need to. I already knew who it was.

Still, I turned around and saw Nick Grey walking down the hall. His hands were stuffed in his jeans. He was wearing a black polo shirt, the sleeves rolled up like always, and instead of wearing dress shoes, he looked comfy in a pair of converse sneakers. His hair was a mess like always, but he still seemed as good- looking as the covers of magazines. He was busy talking to Joe, and I was just standing there staring at him. He didn't seem to have noticed me yet, but I still couldn't take my eyes off him. I hadn't seen him for almost a week now.

Suddenly, Joe's eyes accidentally flickered towards my direction, and Nick caught it. He turned around and came face to face with me. His eyes widened for a few seconds and his jaws tightened as if he were trying to figure out what to do. He took one step forward in my direction, and I swear my heart almost beat out of my chest. Suddenly, his mouth curled in a smile as he slightly quickened his pace towards me.

Then, I heard Lucas' familiar voice coming from behind, oblivious that Nick was in the same room. Nick seemed surprised at first and confused at Lucas being at Demi and Joe's anniversary party, but he seemed to piece it together in his head. Me and Lucas had made- up.

His smile soon disappeared as he paused in the center of the room, just staring at me. Lucas, who was now next to me, seemed to finally notice Nick and he stood there frozen.

Selena looked between the two guys, slowly realizing what was going on.

"Awwwkkkwwaaarrrd," Selena said as she crossed her arms in front of her chest eyeing the two guys.

And for once, I agreed.

* * *

_**A/N: I tried uploading this is as fast as I could, but I had a lot of school stuff. :) **_

_**And THANK YOU FOR OVER 100 REVIEWS!!!! THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!!! Sorry, for ending it there, but I have to make you guys curious for the next chapter. Hahaa**_

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_**Next chapter will be up soon. I'll see from the feedback I get. I kind of have a slight writing block, so I really need some feedback. **_

_**Please and thank you. 3 ;)  
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	20. Chapter 19: Fearless

Nick seemed dazed as he was trying to figure out what to do; to keep walking towards me and have to meet Lucas or to just walk away. Eventually, he seemed to make up his mind as he turned around to walk back down the hall. This time I wasn't going to let him walk away without a fight. I ran after him, leaving Lucas standing there awkwardly with Selena.

Well… Selena didn't seem to mind.

I walked down the hallway and found Nick leaning over the balcony. Luckily, the balcony was facing the opposite direction where the paparazzi were stationed at outside, so the air was silent. "Nick," I whispered cautiously walking up to the balcony railing next to him. He was bent over, his arms on the railing, and staring at the air in front of him. I stood there just looking at him. I hadn't seen him for almost a week, and now here he was; right next to me. His hair was a curly mess and swept over his forehead in such a way that I was almost tempted to lean forward and sweep it back. His eyes seemed to shine a dull black as if he was too lost in thought. Finally, after I decided he wasn't going to say anything, I continued.

"I'm sorry."

Suddenly, Nick seemed to snap out of his stare, and turned to look at me, his eyes blazing. "Is that all you have to say?"

Exasperated, I threw my hands up. "What do you want me to say, Nick? What do you want me to say? Just tell me that."

He shook his head. "I'm sorry," he mimicked under his voice.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry. Is that bothering you Nick?" I laughed grimly. "Because I'm pretty sure I told you I LOVED you, and you just walked away. Let's talk about that."

He seemed to freeze from my words as he ran his hands through his hair again. Finally he sighed, and leaned forward on the railing again. "What did you expect me to do Miley? Just drop down on my knees and forgive you? It's not… It's not that easy."

"You can have a least turned around and said something. Anything, actually."

Finally, he looked at me, his soft brown eyes breaking into mine. "I couldn't. Because if I opened my mouth to say anything, I knew the only thing I could say was…." He paused awkwardly.

Impatiently, I snapped at him. "What Nick? What were you going to say? Damn it. Just spit it out!"

"Fine!" Nick threw his hands up as he stepped forward. "You really want to know what I was about to say right there and then? You really want to know…. When I was walking out the door, and I heard those words come out of your mouth, I was, I was…"

"God dammit, Nick. What were you going to say? I hate you? You can't love me? I'm wrong? I shouldn't love you? What Nick?" I threw my own hands up exasperated and stared at him hard. He was laughing to himself grimly as he shook his head.

"I was going to turn around right there, and run back to you. Can you imagine? You lied to me, and without even a second question in my mind, I was about to turn around like nothing had happened and kiss you right there and then. And you want to know why?"

I stood there shaking from his answer but got words out of my mouth weakly, "Why?"

"Because, Miley Ray Stewart," he said frustrated. "Because I love you! Do you not get it? I love you… I love you… I love you," his voice grew in a whisper as I stepped forward and just hugged him. At that moment, I didn't know where we were; whether we were friends or more or still angry at each other. All I knew was that he was in my arms; I was in his; and everything finally felt right. We stayed like that, holding each other closely, as Nick's breathing slowed back to normal. Finally I pulled away and placed my forehead on his.

"Can I try something again?" I whispered breathless. Nick raised an eyebrow. Without saying anything else, I closed my eyes and leaned forward to press my lips to his. There it was; that familiar scent. The moments our lips touched, I seemed to almost melt into his arms as I felt his arms around me tighten securely. Right there, I felt as if time were suspended just for us. I can't even find the words to describe the parade going on in my chest. My heart slowly seemed to repair itself; miraculously finding the scattered pieces and finding their way back.

Finally, after pulling away, I finally released the three words I had been holding in for the last few days. "I love you, Nick Grey."

He seemed to pause for a second before breaking into a soft smile. "Back at you."

"Nick," I laughed.

He broke into another grin as he leaned forward to kiss my cheek. "I love you too, Miley Stewart. Always."

Smiling, I leaned forward and pressed my head to his chest. "Right now, everything is absolutely perfect."

I paused, waiting for Nick to say something back about how there was no such thing as perfection, but instead he nodded his head and intertwined his fingers through mine.

"Yeah. I think so too."

* * *

We eventually walked back inside hand in hand, and it was funny to see everyone's reactions. Especially since some people at the party didn't even know I was with Nick or even who the heck I was. Joe seemed relieved, Selena was smirking, Demi and Taylor were standing there oblivious to whatever was going on, and Lucas stood there smiling. I couldn't tell if it was forced or not, but I knew he wasn't angry, and that was enough.

As we approached the group, Nick stepped forward and brought out his hand to Lucas. "Hey. I didn't have a very… um… proper introduction before, so hi. I'm Nick."

Lucas stared at his hand surprised before finally shaking it. "I'm Lucas."

"Well, it's nice to finally meet you," Nick said. He wasn't smiling, not even that fake grin, but I was relieved. It felt better to know that Nick wasn't faking anything. I knew that Lucas and Nick probably would never have a very close relationship, but as long as they were at peace, I was fine.

"So," Taylor sipped her drink. "Who's Lucas?"

Selena grinned as she found the opportunity to explain. "This is Lucas. Miley's friend." Lucas turned to shake Taylor's hand nervously (he was also a fan), and Selena stood to his back and was mouthing 'HE IS SOOOO FINE' to Taylor. Taylor giggled at her sister and nodded.

"Dibs," Selena said as Lucas stepped back again.

"Too bad. I called it in my mind before you little sis," Taylor grinned. Selena pouted as she put her hands to her hips.

"What?" Lucas asked confused.

Selena blushed and giggled. "Never mind."

Everyone in the group, including Joe and Nick who seemed to have caught on to Selena's little crush, laughed as Lucas stood there awkwardly staring at us as if we were crazy.

"You know," Selena sighed. "I don't think Lucas has had a full tour of the house yet. Isn't that right Demi?"

"Um. I don't think so," she shrugged giving Selena a 'whatareyouupto' look, but Selena shook it off and grabbed Lucas' hand already dragging him down the hall.

"She's not getting him that easily," Taylor giggled as she ran after them. Nick, Joe, Demi, and I all broke into a soft chorus of laughter. I mean, I knew Lucas was good- looking, but who knew that one of the biggest celebrities in the world… Sorry, TWO of the biggest celebrities of the worlds would actually be interested into him.

"Wow. I didn't think Selena would go for a regular guy," Joe grinned wrapping a hand around Demi's shoulder.

"Well, Lucas is Lucas," I grinned and felt Nick shift awkwardly next to me. I quickly changed the subject. "I like your place. It's not.. not as grand as I expected."

Demi laughed and shared a look with Joe. "Yeah," she smiled. "We wanted to keep it simple. We really didn't want to get this huge house that we'd probably only use half of."

"Plus, Demi is probably the worst cleaner in the world, and she refuses to hire anyone else."

"Hey," Demi grinned as she defended herself. "It's my house; it's my job."

Joe leaned down and kissed the top of her head.

"Oh yeah, Happy Anniversary!" I grinned, digging into my bag for my present. I handed the manila envelope to them, and they raised their eyebrows curiously. "It's pictures from the past few days that I took. I found all the ones that I had taken of you guys, and put them together."

Demi opened the envelope and took the stack of pictures out. She went through them with Joe looking at each one carefully. Her smile seemed to grow with every new picture. "Oh my god, Miley. You are so talented at photography. Are you studying it?"

"Um, not really. I applied to this school, but it probably isn't going to work out," I blushed embarrassed from the compliment. It was one thing to be complimented by your mom (who basically HAD TO compliment you) and to be complimented by one of the most respected artists in the world. Joe took the pictures from her hand.

"Really, Miley. If this school doesn't accept you, I'm going to have a talk with them. These are amazing. You captured the light perfectly and everything," he said looking through pictures of him carrying Demi in his arms from what I remember as him trying to run her down the street after she had complained her feet were tired. She had laughed and joked around calling him her 'knight in sneakers', and he just smiled and carried her around until she told him to put her down, which she only did til the very last few hours.

Suddenly, another knock on the door sounded as Joe and Demi excused themselves to go be the 'responsible hosts' they were supposed to be.

"So," I turned towards Nick who had kept silent for most of the time. "Should we talk?"

"What's there to talk about?" he asked squeezing my hand.

I shrugged blushing. "So does this mean we're… um… good now?"

"Maybe," he grinned teasingly, and I pushed him softly.

"Oh yeah," I remembered. "I bumped into Addie a few days ago."

He nodded smiling. "She told me."

Suddenly something else popped into my head. "Nick. What's today?"

He looked at me confused. "Um, August 7th." Everything suddenly clicked together in my head.

"Nick. Can we go somewhere?"

"Right now?"

"Yeah."

"Why?"

"Why not?"

Sighing defeated he gave in. "Fine. But only because I feel like being spontaneous today."

Laughing, I grabbed his hand and told Lucas I'd meet him back at campus. Selena didn't seem to mind as she didn't take a second to offer him a ride home. We apologized to Demi and Joe, and they didn't seem too upset either. We got back into his car, which I was glad to see he was using the Mustang, and drove out a back entrance away from the paparazzi.

After giving him a few directions, he stopped finally realizing the direction we were going. "I can't go there?"

"Why?"

"Because… "

I sighed. "Is it because of the orphanage? That's where you grew up, right?" He looked at me shocked and parked the car a few blocks away.

"How did you know that?"

"Addie told me," I explained watching him shift awkwardly in his chair. I could tell me knowing about the orphanage was making him uncomfortable.

"And what are we doing here?"

"A pot luck Addie invited me too," I took my seat belt off and was about to get out of the car, but Nick pulled me back.

"I cannot go in there." His easy calm manner in his eyes were instantly replaced with fear. Nick Grey was scared.

"Why?" I asked.

He seemed to pause thinking the question to himself. He couldn't seem to find the answer. "I just can't. There's too many bad memories. The past is the past."

"But that's the thing, Nick," I grabbed his hand. "You can't just do that. Forget and walk away from everything that made you, you."

He seemed almost angry for a second, before his eyes softened. "That orphanage didn't make me anything into what I am today."

I shook my head to myself. "Do you even hear what you're saying? Yes. Fame changed you. Yes. Life after the orphanage changed you. But it doesn't change you completely. There's got to be a part of that Nick in there… somewhere."

"I don't need this place anymore, Miley! Can't you see that?" he raised his voice, frustrated. "These people, this place, I shouldn't have to deal with it anymore."

"What about Addie? She's part of it, isn't she? You still need her!" I defended.

"Addie's different," he sighed. "You know that."

"No, Nick. I don't. I don't know anything. And you want to know why? Because you're a door that refuses to open to anyone. You locked it, and you threw the key away somewhere so far, no one can find it. And every time someone gets close to finding that key, you push them away. That's what you do, Nick. You PUSH PEOPLE AWAY. YOU HIDE."

"I'm not pushing you away am I?" he raised his voice staring at me coldly.

I softened my tone trying to calm down. "But that's because you know I wouldn't go anywhere no matter how hard you try to."

He sat back in his seat taking a moment to himself. "Why are you doing this? Why did you bring me here?"

I turned to look at him fully. His eyes were closed as he leaned back in his seat. "Because," I whispered. "You're afraid."

"Afraid of what?"

"Absolutely everything."

He seemed surprised by that comment as he sat up. "I'm not the one who was screaming my head off during sky diving," he grinned.

"That's different. There are different kinds of fears. Whole ranges of them."

"What's the difference then?"

"I was scared of pain and heights and death and all those materialistic stuff."

He looked at me closer with those deep brown eyes. "And what am I scared of?"

It took me a few moments to answer. "You're scared of remembering."

He leaned back in his seat again, closing his eyes. After a few minutes, he reached for my hand and whispered, "I don't want to be afraid."

I took it and leaned my head on his shoulder. "You don't have to."

"But I can't go in there."

"You're scared again," I whispered. The air around us had gotten silent except for the soft stir of wind whisking by the car windows. Finally, after what felt like eternity, Nick stirred in his seat as he finally opened his eyes. Without letting go of my hand, we both got out of the car and walked down the streets. We had parked 3 blocks away, so we had to walk awhile before finally reaching the block of the orphanage. Every few steps closer, I could feel Nick stiffen and almost pause mid- step as if wanting to turn back around. (Which I was sure he did, but I squeezed his hand tight enough to keep him walking.)

Finally, we reached a small square brick building. It wasn't very pretty looking from the outside, but it didn't look too shabby. It looked like a small school house. Nick just stood there frozen, staring at the double door of the orphanage. Turning to him, I smiled encouragingly. "It's going to be okay."

He seemed to hear me as he finally got his legs mobile and moved towards the door. Although he was moving, he still seemed like a corpse next to me. His eyes were focused only straight ahead of him, as if scared to let his eyes wander away to rekindle old memories. Not knowing what else to say, I just held his hand tighter until we reached a cafeteria looking room. It was filled with kids of all ages ranging from 4 to 16. There was a long table of a buffet of food, and volunteers passing out drinks and other items. At the end of the table, handing a bottle of water to a small girl, I spotted Addie. The minute we had walked in, everyone's eyes seemed to turn towards us, or rather Nick. Whispers and girlish shrieks echoed through the halls as they all started to wonder what such a famous celebrity such as Nick Grey was doing at their orphanage.

He didn't seem to notice their stares as we walked up to Addie in front of the drinks table. Addie saw me first and smiled, but the moment she saw Nick next to me, she looked as if she were about to have a heart- attack.

"Nicholas! You're here," she gasped. She came around the table slowly, taking a slow pace due to her fragile body and hugged him. At that moment, Nick seemed to loosen up and relax as he nodded to Addie.

"I'm here," Nick sighed. "I'm actually here."

"What changed your mind?" Addie asked, though I could tell she already had an idea as she eyed me smiling.

"People, words," Nick grinned as he stuffed his hands into his jeans pockets.

"Well, thank you Miley," Addie smiled softly. She turned towards Nick again taking her wrinkled hand to his cheek. "I have never been so proud of you."

Nick smiled and patted her hand. "Thank you. It feels kind of… good to be back. It feels familiar in a way."

"Well, it should be. You lived her for more than 10 years," Addie grinned looking around at the cafeteria. "Have you had a chance to look around?"

Nick shook his head quickly. "No, no. I really don't wan-" but a small girl's voice broke him mid- sentence. We turned around and a small girl with waves of gold brown hair that came up to her hip smiled at us.

"I can show you around! I know all the really cool places here! There's the play room, and my room, and the back yard with the jungle gym. I'm big enough to use the swing now, you know," she grinned a missing- toothed smile.

Addie seemed to smile down at her. "Nick, Miley, this is Cassie Stone. Cassie, this is Miley and Nick."

She smiled even bigger and took mine and Nick's hand with her own little hands. "Come on! There's a lot I have to show you!" I could tell Nick was unsure of going, but he couldn't turn her down either. For the next few minutes, I was giggling as Cassie led Nick and I around the orphanage, taking us to her room which she shared with 10 other kids. The rooms were small, but not too small, and were lined up with bunk beds and cork walls with hand- drawings in crayon pinned on. Then, she took us to the main play room where all the toys were kept. There were the standard board games, and they were in pretty bad condition. I wondered how long they've been here, and how many generations of kids had been playing them. Had Nick played it? It was almost funny to see a little 7 year old girl in charge of the great Nick Grey. I giggled as I kept a secure hand holding his, making sure he was okay. He seemed to be doing fine as he smiled back encouragingly, smiling down at Cassie's excitement. Suddenly, Nick's eyes wandered to a boy around Cassie's age if not a little older sitting in the corner of the room by himself instead of inside the cafeteria with everyone else.

Nick stopped to look at him. "Who's that?"

Cassie turned around and her face softened almost sympathetically. "That's Oliver. He never talks to anyone. And he never plays games with us or anything. He likes to be alone."

"Why is he here instead of at the pot luck? Isn't he hungry?" Nick asked curiously.

Cassie shook her head causing her long curls to bounce. "Nope. He likes to be by himself. And he eats by himself too. Everyone thinks he's weird, but I think he's just really shy." Cassie pulled Nick's hand to continue the tour, but Nick wouldn't move as he had his gaze focused on Oliver. I turned to look at him to figure out what was going on inside in his head. His eyes were softening as if he were thinking to himself, and his hand in mine loosened its grip.

"Let's go," Cassie pulled his hand, but he stayed.

"Just a minute," he whispered as he let go of me and Cassie's hand. He walked over to the corner Oliver was sitting at, and brought a chair over next to his. Cassie seemed confused as she watched Nick slowly talk to Oliver, but we were too far away to listen to what they were saying. I watched in awe as Nick whispered some words to the boy, and Oliver actually pulled his head up to look at Nick. I had no idea what he was telling Oliver, but I knew that it was working. Finally, Oliver seemed to smile as Nick held out his hand to shake his.

To this day, I still have no idea what Nick had said to Oliver that day. All I know is that one minute later, Nick was walking towards us with one hand holding Oliver's who was also shyly walking towards us. "Guys, this is Oliver," Nick introduced with a soft smile. He seemed to take a second to himself before finally wiping his long hair out of his face and looking at us. And finally, he smiled. It was a nice smile. One of those that grew on you. It was shy, and almost insecure, but there was something about it that sparked interest.

"Hey, Oliver. I'm Miley," I smiled shaking his tiny hand. From a closer perspective, I realized that his hair was almost a black and swung over his forehead and eyes. He was a little shorter that Cassie, and his skin was so pale that it contrasted with his dark hair. But the thing that caught my attention the most was his eyes. They were a blue that almost looked gray. It was one of those colors that you could stare at for hours, yet feel like there was still a secret hidden underneath.

Oliver smiled weakly at me. "Hi. I'm Oliver." Finally, he turned towards Cassie blushing. "Hi, Cassie."

Cassie smiled her big single toothed- smile again, and waved. "Hi, Oliver!"

Nick kept a hold on Oliver's hand, who I probably knew didn't want to let go of Nick's either. "So," Nick grinned, his eyes shining just a little brighter. "Let's continue this tour. Where to next, Cassie?" He swept Cassie off the floor and put her on his back. She squealed in delight and giggled as she wrapped her small arms around Nick's neck for support. It was amazing how fast Nick had felt comfortable with them. Nick looked at me smirking. "What about you?"

Laughing, I shook my head and just took his last remaining hand. "It's fine. I prefer the floor."

I turned towards Oliver who seemed to be more interested at looking at the floor than at us. "So, Oliver," I tried starting conversation. "How old are you?"

He looked at me for a quick second before continuing his gaze to the floor. "Seven," he answered meekly. I sneaked a look at Nick who seemed to also be looking at Oliver.

"Me too! I'm seven too!" Cassie giggled excited, still on Nick's back. We were walking down a wide hallway where there were mini classrooms that could fit at least 10 students.

"Is this your classroom here?" I asked using an upbeat voice, the ones people usually use with smaller children.

Cassie grinned as she hopped off Nick's back and ran into a close- by classroom with drawing and paintings pasted all over the already colored walls. "This one is mine!" Cassie smiled as she ran up to a drawing of stick figures playing jump rope.

"Wow. Now that's some professional looking art," Nick said examining her coloring of the person's head being purple. "How much can I buy it for?"

Cassie giggled. "Nope. Not buyable. This is a one and only Cassie- made painting."

Nick tried to look upset, which he did pretty well (He's a professional actor. Duh) and gave a puppy dog- face towards Cassie. To my surprise, this girl stood her ground and shook her head. Wow. This girl was even better at me against Nick's faces. I laughed as I high- fived her tiny palm.

"But Oliver's is the best! Look!" Cassie ran towards a drawing at the corner of the wall. It wasn't as colorful as the others. Actually, it was almost fully in pencil, except for the shading of the eyes and the color of the hair. At his age, I would have called it a masterpiece. His curves, and lines, and details were almost professional looking. Even at age 7, I didn't have these kind of art skills.

"Oh my god, Oliver. This is absolutely amazing," I gasped taking a closer look at the picture. It was of a woman. Just from the picture, I could tell she was beautiful. And young. Definitely young. She had a heart shaped face, long straight yellow (or I'm assuming from the picture, blond) hair, and blue- gray eyes that were almost identical to Oliver's.

Nick also stepped up to look at the picture. Cassie's sweet voice broke our stares. "Ms. Davis says he has a talent. Like if his art was music, he'd be a projoday. Or something like that. Like Beethoven!"

I laughed and tickled her. "I think you mean prodigy, Cass."

She pulled out of my grasp giggling. "Yup. That's what I meant. Progyday."

Nick and I l broke into a soft laughter, and I think I even saw Oliver crack a grin. "You know, Oliver," I smiled at him. "I draw too."

Oliver looked up at me with wide curious eyes. "Really?"

"Yup. I like to draw landscapes."

"That's cool," Oliver said in a small voice, though I could hear something building behind it. "I like to draw, um..."

"Oliver likes to draw people!" Cassie exclaimed, but he shook his head.

"I like to draw memories."

I turned to look at him, but he was already staring at his picture. Nick seemed to shift next to me as he also turned towards Oliver. "Who is this in the picture?"

He seemed to take a second to himself before bringing out an answer. Finally, he peeked out from his curtain of hair and looked straight at the picture. "It's my mommy."

Cassie seemed upset at this. "We don't have mommies anymore Oliver."

"I have mine," he whispered.

"No," Cassie shook her head, as me and Nick shared a warning look. "If you're here at the orphanage that means you don't have a mommy."

Finally, Nick stepped up. "That's not true. I stayed here and I have a mommy."

"How?" Cassie asked. I also wondered as I looked up at him. As far as I know, his dad and mom were gone… not that I knew much about it.

"Well, Addie's my mom," Nick smiled. I looked at him shocked. I always knew that Nick saw her as a motherly figure, but to actually name her his mom was another thing. I could see Nick's chest exhale slightly as if a huge weight had just been lifted off his chest. I saw him squeeze Oliver's hand who seemed to almost smile.

Cassie's eyes got wide. "Woah! Addie's your mom?! I wish she was mine." She pouted almost looking upset. Nick took her and carried her in his arms.

"What about I be your mother?" Nick smirked. Cassie found this hilarious and shook her head.

"Ew. No. You're a boy!"

"Well, I had to be a mom in this one movie I played," Nick grinned. Oh yeah. I remember that. It's not what you think. Being the oldest sibling in this drama, he was forced to be the mother and father of his family. That was all I could remember from the movie, except for the fact that I hated it. But I wasn't going to tell him that.

"What's the movie called?" Cassie asked curiously. Oliver seemed curious too, but he seemed too scared to ask.

"A Little Bit Longer," Nick smiled proudly, but Cassie and Oliver shook their heads.

"Never heard of it."

"What about Crystals?"

"Nope."

"The Polar Accident?"

"Nuh- uhh."

"Hidden Secrets?"

"Huh?"

"7:05?" Nick asked surprised that they hadn't ever seen a single one of his movies.

"Wait!" Oliver stopped to think. "Is that the one with the dinosaurs that went to ge-"

"No. I'm pretty sure there wasn't any dinosaurs in that one," Nick laughed. Both kids had confused faces, which I almost broke into hysterical fits over. These kids probably didn't even know who was standing in front of them, aside from the fact that his name was Nick and he desperately needed a comb to fix his hair.

"I'm bored," Cassie yawned before taking Oliver's hand. "Let's go race!" Oliver seemed surprised at her actions, as he blinked at her unsurely. "C'mon, Ollie! Last one there is a frog!"

Finally, Oliver laughed. It was a simple and quiet laugh, but it still echoes inside me. He ran down the hall leaving me and Nick to follow behind them hand in hand. After a few moments, I felt Nick's hand tighten around mine. "Thank you," he whispered smiling to himself as if he couldn't help it.

"I didn't do anything. You're the one that walked in. You're the one that talked to Cassie. You're the one that actually made Oliver come with us."

"Oliver," he seemed to think to himself. "He reminds me so much of myself." I looked at Nick and tried to find some connection between the confident and powerful guy that was holding my hand, to the small, insecure, and weak- minded 7 year old racing down the hallway. I couldn't find any. "I never made any connections in this place. No friends, companions, nothing. That's one of the reasons I didn't want to go here."

"Was it like this when you grew up here?"

He shook his head. "Definitely not. Things are better, much better."

At the end of the hallway, I watched as Cassie gave a blushing Oliver a high- five before bringing his gaze back to the floor. I made a note to myself to learn more about him. He felt like a glass vase that was already half cracked, and needed to be opened to fully move on.

"Oliver really has some talent," I told Nick. He nodded next to me.

"I know," he said, his eyes shining anxiously as he thought to himself. It wasn't until later that I figured out what he was thinking about.

* * *

_**A/N: Sorry if the chapters are getting too long. I just figured out how I'm going to end it, so I need to compact it to at least 10 more chapters. There was a lot of things going on in this chapter. What was your favorite part?**_

_**And thanks, for those who review!!! I'm loving the feedback. I was also thinking about having a whole marathon of chapters. (Maybe 4 or 5) next weekend. Tell me what you think. It's getting too tiring to write, then wait, then write, then wait. Thanks again for reading.  
**_


	21. Chapter 20: Shut Up

_**A/N: So here's the marathon. I'm leaving it at 4 chapters and the 5 and 6th chapter will be uploaded by Saturday or Sunday. Sorry for uploading it so last minute, but I had to fix the last chapter a bit. And after these 4 chapters, plus the 5th and 6th chapter, there will probably be one more chapter before the story is finished. Thanks for those who have been reading since the beginning, and enjoy. :) **_

_**(It leaves off right from the last chapter. After Nick finally returns to the orphanage.)**_

* * *

I ended up having Nick drop me off at the UCLA campus to make sure Lucas had gotten home alright. I could tell Nick was too uncomfortable to be here, so I sent him home and told him I'd get a ride home by myself. Although, he argued, he eventually succumbed to my request and drove home. I walked to Lucas' room and my hand instinctively grasped onto my neck where the room key should have been, but instead my hand only felt Nick's dog- tag. I had left it in his room when I had picked up my stuff.

Awkwardly, I knocked. Luckily, Lucas opened the door quickly and smiled to see me outside. I was about to slip inside like usual, but instead I was surprised to hear the familiar high voice of Selena Jansen.

"Miley! Hi! Where've you been?" she smiled flawlessly. This time, I think it was real.

I shrugged. "Just touring around." I looked down at my tiny wrist watch and raised an eyebrow. "And what are you still doing here? It's almost midnight."

Selena's eyes widened surprised. "Seriously? That late already? Wow. Me and Lucas were just so into a conversation, I guess we lost track of time," she said picking up her stuff. I smirked to myself thinking about what Lucas and Selena would talk about. They honestly didn't have much in common, except for the fact that they were both human. Before leaving, Selena walked over to Lucas who gave her an awkward hug. She seemed to grasp onto him a little longer than usual, as her arm traced down his back.

"Bye, Lucas. This was fun," Selena smiled shyly (I know what you're thinking. Selena Jansen shy? Well, there's a first time for everything.) "Maybe we'll see each other again." I almost choked on air from laughter, but I kept it in waiting to explode until Selena left the room.

And I did.

The minute she had left the door, I broke into a fit of laughter as I rolled onto Lucas' bed. "What?" he asked confused. Oh god. That was Lucas; oblivious as usual.

"What?" I mocked his confused tone. "What was that? 'Bye Lucas. This was fun.'" I mimicked between laughs.

Lucas shrugged. "What about it? She was just saying bye."

I raised any eyebrow. "So let me get this straight. Selena Jansen; probably one of the hottest teen celebrities in the world right now; just flirted with you all day; Oh! And let us not forget, hung out with you in your room ALONE, and you act as if a plumber just walked out of the room."

"She's just a person. I learned that today. She actually reminds me a lot like the people at home," he explained as he lounged on the couch.

"You hate the people at home," I laughed.

He seemed to think to himself as he tried to find the right answer. "That's not what I meant. It's different."

In disbelief, I shook my head already feeling a teasing grin breaking through. "So what does this mean Lucas Tiller?"

"She's cool. She's really down- to- earth," he explained, but I held my hands up to stop him. Down- to- earth? Since when? Whenever I was with her, all she seemed to talk about was… actually it wasn't even 'talk'. It was more like complain. Complain about her hair, her nails, her job, her feet, her weight, etc.

"What do you guys even talk about?"

Lucas shrugged in his regular easy- going manner. He acted as if he had just spent the day with a friend from back home instead of THE Selena Jansen. Gosh. Lucas… What was I going to do with him. "Mostly hobbies. TV shows; movies; music. We have a bunch of things in common."

"Fun," I teased.

Lucas didn't seem to notice my sarcasm as he nodded. "Yup. I got her to get a copy of Lord of the Rings. She's planning on reading it tomorrow after some meeting for a script."

Teasingly, I got to my knees and started bowing. Laughing, he pulled me back off my knees. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry," I laughed. "But did you really just make THE Selena Jansen read Lord of the Rings?" One thing I never mentioned, and something most people don't know, is that Lucas is probably one of the biggest nerds you will ever meet. He looks like an Abercrombie model, thinks like a Star- Trek fan.

"She's just Selena. You don't have to call her Selena Jansen all the time."

I laughed as I stretched out on the bed, staring at the ceiling. "Sorrrry, Mr. Defensive. I can't help it sometimes." I wasn't looking at Lucas, but I could tell he cracked a grin. I guess there was such a thing as best friend telepathy.

"So," Lucas yawned. "What did you and Nick Grey do today?"

"His name is Nick. Just Nick. You don't have to call him Nick Grey all the time," I mocked his past tone.

He laughed easily before I answered. "Well, we stopped by at his orphanage." Lucas stayed silent for a few minutes, and I didn't mind as I let my thoughts wander from everything that happened today. From making up with Nick, to entering those double doors to the orphanage, to seeing Addie's proud eyes at Nick, to meeting Cassie, to meeting Oliver, to everything. By the time I was finishing thinking, Lucas was still silent. Now it had become almost awkward.

"You didn't know, did you," I stated more than asked.

"No. I didn't. So his parents are dead?" Lucas asked quietly.

I shrugged. "I'm not sure. He's not sure either." I sat up to look at Lucas who was also sitting up now. "All he knows is that his mom was really messed up and left him when he was around 4. He thinks his father died before he was given up, but he can't remember for sure." It felt weird to tell Lucas about Nick's past, but I also felt relieved as if I didn't have to hold the burden of the secret by myself. Lucas couldn't seem to come up with any words to responds, as he just wove his own hands together and looked down to the ground. Sighing, I stood up and took the seat next to him. I patted his knee.

"C'mon. It's fine. He turned out pretty okay," I grinned trying to make the mood a little more light.

To my relief, Lucas smiled softly. "Eh. I guess so." I nudged him softly before seeing that it was a quarter to midnight.

Stretching out my arms and legs, I stood up. "I got to go. I might not officially live here, but Dad is still pretty strict with curfews."

"Me too," Lucas mumbled as he yawned.

"What the heck are you talking about Lucas?" I laughed eyeing his dazed face. Lucas seemed too confused to answer. Grinning, I led him to his bed knowing that he was already half- asleep. From what I knew, he'd probably collapse and fall asleep in …. 3…2.. yup. Right now.

I picked up my bag and jacket as I went outside, but Lucas' voice stopped me. I looked back to see him sitting up smiling. "Wait. I have something." He dug around a desk drawer and finally came out with something grasped in his hand.

"What is it?" I asked curious.

Lucas brought out a key hanging from a silver chain. "Just something that I think you left."

I smiled as I placed it around my neck, right where it belonged. "Thank you." I leaned forward to hug him, and in the process kissed him on the cheek.

"No problem," Lucas blushed lightly.

"No," I shook my head. "Thanks for everything. For letting me stay here; for buying me tickets; for being my best friend; for letting me be with Nick."

I felt Lucas' chest exhale beneath my cheek. "If you're happy, then I'm okay with it." Finally, we pulled away and I could see that Lucas was anxious to get to bed.

"Fine fine, Luke. Go to sleep. I'll leave you at peace," I teased, and he laughed.

"FINALLY!" he sarcastically half- screamed in triumphant. He was actually a pretty good actor too.

"Shut up," I grinned.

"You need to get a better vocabulary. Shut up is getting tiring, Mi," he yawned.

"Get the shut to the up and just go to sleep. Better?"

He shrugged as a small smile creeped on his lips. "Close enough. Goodnight. I'll see you tomorrow. And then the next day after that. Then goodbye, LA."

"Oh right. Only two days left," I said upset at how I could have forgotten the time. I had almost forgotten I would eventually have to go home. I missed Mom, but LA had grown on me from the last few days. Maybe it was the mood and air of the city… maybe it was just the people.

"Stop talking and go to sleep," I tried forcing the best fake smile as I walked away. Luckily, Lucas was too tired to notice, and closed the door behind him, leaving me a**l**one to worry about the limited time I had left with Nick, Lucas, Diane, Dad, Addie, Demi, Joe, Selena, Taylor, and even Cassie and Oliver.

The limited time I had left before I left everything.

Absolutely everything.

* * *

"Hey," Dad said as I opened the door. I jumped surprised to see him sitting in the living room. He must have been waiting for me. "So, Miley Ray. Where have you been all day?"

"Friends," I answered awkwardly. I could feel another long Dad- Daughter questioning coming on. I was already planning my answers for the common questions. Who are these friends? Where did you go? Were there boys? Drugs? Alcohol? But no. Instead he just nods to himself and smiles softly.

"You seem happier today," he said. It was true. By the time I had gotten home, my mind had been filled with more pleasant memories, and everything related to time was pushed to the farthest corner of my mind.

"I am," I smiled. "I'm really happy."

He looked at me for a good second before breaking into another soft smile. "Good." He seemed to take a pause before asking a question. "Do you know what I do for a living, Mi?"

Surprised, I shook my head. Firstly because I hadn't heard him call me Mi in almost forever. Secondly, because for the past 10 years of blaming the divorce on his job, I never actually knew what his job was. I always guessed it had something to do with business. I mean, he travels A LOT.

He smiled to himself. "I'm a motivational speaker. I travel around the country to talk to people; to motivate them in the right directions; to make them love life." I stared at him for a good long minute. A motivational speaker? That was probably the last thing I would have guessed his job would be. I honestly couldn't imagine Dad talking to a group of strangers and inspiring them.

But then again, Dad was always my biggest inspirational hero growing up. He just had that power that could make you smile at him; that power that made you want to be like him; that power that wanted to make you believe in him. I guess that's what Mom fell for, what Diane fell for, what I loved him for. "That must be a very rewarding job, Dad."

Nodding, he looking at me. "It is. Any job description that includes making people smile is." He took a second to himself before pausing awkwardly. "Listen, Mi. I'm really glad you came. I've missed you."

I smiled and pushed back tears. I have no idea what made me tear up that moment. Maybe it was his words, maybe it was just everything going on, maybe it was the way he called me Mi again, maybe it was how we felt like father- daughter again. "Me too, Dad. Me too," I smiled. Eventually, I started to yawn and Dad noticed.

"You should be going to sleep," he encouraged.

"What are you still doing up anyway?" I asked curiously as I rubbed my eyes trying to keep them open as long as possible.

"Well, waiting for you to get home, and also because Diane always wakes up at this time of the hour for cravings, and I really don't like her coming down the staircase half- asleep. She isn't the most graceful of women," he chuckled. Laughing and nodding, I walked up to him as he sat in his chair.

"Goodnight, Dad," I smiled as I kissed him on the cheek. I walked upstairs and fell asleep instantly.

* * *

The next morning, I woke up against my will. My phone had started ringing non- stop no matter how many times I ignored it. "FINE!" I screamed as I pulled myself out of bed, shivering as the morning air touched my skin. I pulled out my phone and saw an unsaved number. Who the heck could this have been now. "Hello?" I asked kind of hostile.

"Woah. Who punched you in the face this morning?" Selena asked.

"Good Morning to you too, Sel," I grumbled. "Now bye."

"Be quiet and let me finish my call. I was just going to ask if you wanted to go bowling with me, Taylor, and Demi and Joe this afternoon. Actually, it is afternoon, so I'll see you in an hour! Oh, and bring Lucas! Ta-taa." She hung up before could even say anything back. Too tired to argue, I walked downstairs and was surprised to find Lucas at the kitchen counter already talking to Diane.

"Wow," Lucas stared wide- eyed. "This is amazing lemonade." I stepped forward a little confused.

"Lucas? Why are you here so early?"

Both Diane and Lucas looked at me and laughed. "It's already 12:30, Miles. I came here about an hour ago, but I was told you were still asleep. And from what I can see," he said admiring my bird nest of hair. "You had a lot of it."

"Shut up," I grumbled taking the seat next to him. I took Lucas' cup of lemonade and sipped on it. "Is it possible to have a hang- over without any alcohol?" Lucas grinned and slapped me on the back.

"Ow," I mumbled and punched him on the shoulder.

Diane wiped her apron and smiled at us. "How old are you two again?"

Lucas smiled at me. "Technically, we're almost legally adults, but mind-wise… We're all the way back in second grade."

I shook my head. "Nope. Second grade we already thought guys and girls had cooties."

Lucas smirked at me. "Annnnnddd. Your point is?" I nudged him teasingly.

"So. Selena invited us for bowling. You in?"

He shrugged. "Yeah. I guess so." But I could see a small spark building in his eyes. Did Lucas really like Selena? I mean, I knew she was flawless and all of that, but I just didn't think she was his type. Eventually, I excused myself to get dressed. I ended up wearing one of the free clothes that I had gotten on that shopping trip with them. After looking in the mirror, I honestly looked… well.. I looked hot. I was wearing a summer dress with small heeled sandals that wrapped around my calves. I was able to unknot my hair causing waves of it to fall across my back. I looked like Selena Jansen. I looked different. I looked like I wasn't me.

I decided to change the dress back to a pair of shorts (something more appropriate for bowling) and a white flowing shirt that I had gotten on the shopping trip. Now I looked like me, but just a little better… or a better word would be; cleaner. By the time we had arrived at the bowling alley PINS, it was already surrounded by crowds and crowds of paparazzi and fans desperate to get a picture. I was guessing they had arrived. I kept a steady hand on Lucas' arm as we pushed through the crowd to get to the entrance. Finally, a big broad guy stopped us and looked at the Polaroid around my neck.

"No one is allowed inside," he demanded with authority. Lucas and I looked at each other trying to figure out what to do, but Demi's voice broke through and the crowd went wild.

"It's fine Oscar," Demi smiled as she peeked out the door, causing the flashing of cameras to start. Girls were screaming, questions were being asked, pictures were being taken. It was absolute chaos. "They're with us," she explained as he led us in. I could feel cold stares of anger, confusion, curiosity, and envy trailing behind us.

The minute we entered, Selena skipped towards us in a floral high- waisted skirt looking as flawless as ever. "Hi, Miley," she greeted a little more friendly that I remember her being. Finally, she turned towards Lucas blushing. "Hi, Lucas."

He smiled at her and shook her hand, though I could see the disappointment in her face. What was she expecting? For Lucas to drop down on his knees and propose to her? … Yeah. Probably.

Joe walked towards us with Taylor behind him. "Hey. Are you ready to kick some butt, Miley?"

Laughing, I nodded. "Oh yeah. Definitely."

"Okay," Taylor explained being the planner she was. She always seemed to be in complete control of everything. She was perfect… Just in a different way. "We're splitting up into teams. Miley and Joe on my team. Demi and Lucas on Selena's."

"Oh, This is going to be interesting," Joe laughed rubbing his hands together. "Wife vs. Husband."

"Sister vs. Sister," Selena and Taylor smirked.

"And friend vs. thing," Lucas smirked.

"Shut up, Lucas. You know you wish you had my bowling skills," I brushed my shoulders causing the group to break into an easy laughter.

"Whatever, Stewart. Let's get this game started."

So here was the skill level of our teams. **Joe**: He was just winging it along.

Actually I had no idea what the heck he was doing.

**Taylor**: She was amazing at this game. She had already made 3 strikes (which I learned from her was called a turkey. Not that I would probably ever need to know that.)

**Demi**: She was okay at it. Made a strike, but that was most probably luck.

**Lucas**: He was horrible. Absolutely horrible. His ball would fall in the gutter before it would even reach the pins. It was almost sad to watch.

But the biggest surprise of the afternoon was Selena. She could play. And I mean, REALLY play. I had expected her to be an amateur that would complain about how her nail had broke or something like that, but she was honestly professional. She had made almost every single turn into a strike or at least a spare. She seemed really competitive too. I was surprised to see that she didn't even kick Lucas out of the team. He was pretty horrible to watch. But instead, she smiled encouragingly and just told him he'd get it next time. I was actually starting to think that Selena Jansen might not be too bad. If Lucas liked her, I liked her.

By the end of the game, we had won. Although Selena was better than all of us, Lucas kind of honestly ruined it for them. "Sorry about that," he laughed as he ran a hand through his hair. Selena smiled.

"It's fine. There's always next time."

After that we all went to get ice- cream (Me and Lucas' idea). Selena ordered the same thing as Lucas, Taylor ordered plain vanilla, and Demi and Joe shared a banana split. Being the gentleman he was, Lucas paid for all of our ice- creams even though everyone around the table were probably millionaires. Eventually, Selena excused herself politely to go to the restroom as she slid out of the booth.

Joe broke the silence first. "What the heck did you do to her, man?"

Lucas seemed confused as he took another spoonful of ice- cream. Demi laughed. "I think Joe means is that Selena's been acting different… better I think."

Lucas shrugged. "I haven't noticed. I only met her yesterday."

Taylor giggled into her palm. "Well, she's been talking about you like she's known you for years. It's actually quite annoying now."

Lucas blushed and the whole table saw it and grinned. Before we could say anything else, Selena slipped back into the seat next to Lucas who was still heavily blushing. "What's going on?" she asked curious.

"Nothing," we all said at the same exact time. Suddenly, my phone started ringing, and I brought it out to see Nick's caller ID blinking. I excused myself and went outside, pushing through the paparazzi that had followed us and went into a back alley.

"Nick?" I answered.

"Hey. Where are you?"

"Frosties in Studio City. Why?"

He seemed to take a pause, and I could tell he was in the middle of driving. "I'm going to pick you up," he explained as I heard the car make a wide turn.

"No," I said quickly. "There's a whole bunch of people here. Pick me up a block or two away. I think there was a convenience store parking lot there." He eventually agreed and I hung up the phone to walk back inside.

"Hey, guys," I smiled. Selena and Lucas seemed to be in a conversation about home, while Demi, Joe, and Selena were all laughing about something Joe must have said. He had an easy hand around Demi's waist, and for a second I caught Taylor staring at it. I paused. I must've just imagined it. As far as I know, Joe wasn't Taylor's type at all. Plus she already had a boyfriend… a boyfriend who was all the way in Europe. Again, I shook my head. No. Taylor was so in control of everything and serious, and planned out. Joe… wasn't. He was funny, and goofy, and at times even annoying. Taylor wouldn't go for that. Also adding to the fact that he was MARRIED. Specifically married to one of her closest friends.

Pushing the idea to the corner of my mind, I stepped up. "I have to go. Nick's picking me up."

"Already?" Lucas asked. For a second, I saw his eyes almost seem disappointed, but he layered a supportive smile over it. "Um. It's fine. I'll get a ride back on campus myself."

Selena seemed eager to volunteer as she promised to give him a ride home. After giving everyone a quick hug goodbye, I walked outside and to my great relief, none of the paparazzi followed me, too worried that they might miss a shot of Demi and Joe, or Taylor, or Selena. I walked down the streets with my hands jammed in my pocket. By the time, I had gotten to the convenience store parking lot, Nick was already waiting inside.

"Hey," I smiled and leaned forward to kiss his cheek. He seemed anxious as he just started driving.

"Where are we going?" I asked, but he didn't answer. I would have thought he was mad at me if it wasn't for his steady grip on my hand while driving. Sighing and giving up on the questions, I leaned my head on his shoulder and just took the time to myself. Finally, after a short drive we arrived in front of the orphanage. Hurrying, he led me out and into the small square building, but the minute we entered there wasn't any noise.

"Where is everyone?" I asked. He took my hand and led me down the hall of classrooms.

"At the back lot. They should be out there playing for another 10 minutes," he explained. He finally pulled me into a room. Inside were rows of stools and in front of the stools were canvas' and paints and pastels and oils and every single art tool you could imagine. It was an art room. "What do you think?" he sighed, squeezing my hand.

I stood in the middle of the room, tracing a finger across a clear white canvas. "Did you do this?" He nodded shyly and ran a hand through his curls.

"It was mainly for Oliver, but I thought about it, and thought everyone should have a chance to do something. He deserves this… they deserve this."

I looked up at him, and his eyes almost seem to quiver, and I smiled leaning on his shoulders. This man was the one I fell in love with. Not the guy on the big screen with different smiles and attitudes with every character he plays. Not the mysterious agent, not the young shy surfer from Miami Florida, not the confident bold archeologist, not even the Nick Grey who I had met the first day. This was Nick Grey; the cute, loving, understanding teenager who loved his friends, his family, his old beaten mustang, his messy curls, his apartment, and me. The Nick Grey that loved me.

Finally, a loud running of footsteps echoed through the halls as kids started flooding into the room admiring their new things. We found Cassie at the side of the room admiring a set of paints with her friends who were already starting to work on something. Finally ,at the end of the crowd of kids, Oliver stepped in. His hair was brushed over his face again, but I could see his eyes curious as he looked around the room. Hand in hand, Nick and I walked over to him.

"What do you think?" Nick smiled.

Oliver looked up, staring at us with those wide gray eyes. "Is this for me?" he asked weakly.

"Pretty much," Nick laughed. Oliver looked at us, then at the room full of paints and colors all to his using. And finally, after a few minutes, a small smile crept onto Oliver's lips. He stepped forward and Nick dropped to his knees to level with Oliver.

"So what do you think?" he asked. I watched in awe from a near distance as I watched Oliver's small smile just grow and grow and grow before he finally took another step forward and entered Nick's arms. And at that moment, I took my camera out and just took the shot. I looked back at the picture and saw Oliver's face facing the direction of the camera, but his eyes were closed. Nick's arms were around Oliver's back in the same way, but his eyes were open. They were softer than usual, but shined an even deeper brown. They both looked at peace.

Finally, Oliver pulled away. "Thank you," he whispered before walking over to a nearby canvas and cautiously picked up a paintbrush. I took that moment to step forward to Nick again and to take his hand.

"Nick Grey; doesn't dance, sucks at goodbyes, fearless, amazing, perfect."

"Miley Stewart; loves photography, likes to ruin my shirts, fearless, beautiful, perfect." He squeezed my hand and at that moment I felt something rise in my chest. It spread through every inch of my body and warmed me from head to toe. It made me want to smile, and laugh, and just live.

I think it was love.

,


	22. Chapter 21: Isn't That Enough?

By the time we had left the orphanage, it was already 10 P.M. I had fallen asleep in the car, with my head leaning against Nick's shoulder. The next few things that happened were in flashes. I woke up at first to see Nick next to me in the car. The next thing I knew, he was carrying me in his arms. Then I felt myself being laid down. And that was the last thing I remembered.

Slowly, I woke up, stretching myself out and feeling my fingertips reach out to graze the sand.

Wait. Sand?

I rubbed my eyes open and found myself looking up at the stars. And not just any stars. I reached my fingers out as if I could just pick a star from the sky and put it my pocket. It was like I was in the center of everything… But I couldn't be.

I suddenly felt Nick's soft and familiar hands slip through mine. "Nick. Where are we?" I whispered still dazed. Right now, anything could happen. It all felt like a dream.

"It'll come to you," he smiled. We stayed there lying next to each other and just staring up at the dark sky. Eventually, I was able to break my stare and look at him.

"I feel like I … It can't be… Right?" I asked. He turned his head to look at me too.

"When you're well- known around the world, it's not that hard," he laughed, bringing his gaze back to the stars.

"Why did you bring me here?"

"I thought you'd want to," he smiled, but I knew there was more to the answer.

"Seriously, Nick. Why did you take me here today, out of all days?"

Finally realizing I wouldn't stop asking until he answered my question, he turned towards me and held my hand a little tighter. "Remember that Julius Caesar movie I'm working on." I nodded remembering the role he had been so excited for, and also the day when I had seen him transform into a completely different person back in Egypt. "Shooting starts soon," he continued softening his voice.

I sighed and closed my eyes for a few moments. "How soon."

"I have to leave tomorrow morning… Or to be more specific, in a few hours." I leaned back and closed my eyes again. He was going to leave. Again. Right after we had just made up. I didn't have enough time. But then again, would I ever? "Are you mad?" he asked. I opened my eyes to look at him.

"I'm not mad. Just surprised… overwhelmed," I explained in a straight voice, though all I wanted to do at that moment was curl into his arms and cry.

"Well, it's only a few months," he explained.

"You don't have to go," I offered, a little bit of hope growing inside of me. But I knew he wouldn't. This was one of the roles he had been waiting for. 'The role that was made for him'. I couldn't take that away from him. "No. Actually. You have to. For me," I tried to force a smile, but Nick knew me too well.

He lay there for a few minutes, thinking to himself. "Come with me," he whispered. I stared at him caught off guard.

"What?"

He sat up and looked at me. "Come with me. It's only a few months. You can always skip college for a year and return. And your mom will be off around the world for another search party," he explained basically extinguishing all my doubts and reasons against going. Right now, I was left without an excuse.

"Nick," I whispered too overwhelmed to say anything else. He took that moment to kiss me. It was a sweet and soft, but building kiss. It almost made me say yes to everything he would offer. Honestly, I would have followed him anywhere; as long as I was with him.

But I also knew that the longer I stayed in his world, the harder it would be when I eventually had to leave. Reality was waiting for me, and I couldn't hold it back much longer.

"Nick," I sighed again. "I can't."

He seemed to pause to himself. I instantly regretted my words. I was too scared to how he would react. Would he be angry? Would he be disappointed? At me? At us? Would he take that as a break- up? But instead he smiled and took my hands. "Well, it was worth a try, right?"

I laughed and leaned into him exhaling a deep breath I didn't even know I was holding. "I love you. Isn't that enough?"

"I love you too," he sighed in almost a whisper. "And it's not that I don't have faith in a long distance relationship… It's just that I'm going to miss seeing you every morning; having that feeling to look up to when I see you walking towards me; that feel of your arms around me; your smile; your eyes; your voice; you."

All I wanted to do was break into tears at that moment and go with him to the set of his new movie, but I knew I couldn't. There was too much to leave behind. I would miss him, but he would come back. I knew that.

"Promise me one thing," Nick smiled softly, not letting our last few moments together for awhile be sad. And through the confusion and desperation in my mind, I smiled back.

"What?"

"Promise that when I come back in 4 months, you'll still be waiting for me," he sighed taking me into his arms. I seemed to fit perfectly.

"I promise," I smiled and just kissed him again.

Tonight, right here, right now, the world was ours.

* * *

I slipped out of the airport and was surprised to find a taxi already waiting for me. Nick must have gotten it. It was weird to think that he was at the moment, on a plane half way across the world, and in a few hours, I would also be on a plane flying back home. I arrived at Dad's house early the next morning and I was able to find a reasonable excuse for my disappearance last night. I eventually got back into my room (or rather the guest room that I had turned into my room) and collapsed on the bed. To my surprise, I wasn't exhausted. Bored, I got my bag and went to see Lucas.

"Hey," Lucas smiled secretly as he opened the door.

"What are you hiding, Luke?" I asked suspicious. I looked around the room, but no one seemed to be there.

"You don't know?" he asked with a raised eyebrow. "I'd think your Mom would call."

I coughed awkwardly. "Oh yeah. I forgot my phone at home," I explained. Of course. My phone didn't have any signal in Egypt.

"Well," Lucas droned out trying to build suspense to tease me, but I slapped him instead.

"Hurry up and just tell me."

"My mom's pregnant," he finally grinned. My mouth literally dropped to the floor.

"Oh my god," I squealed. "CONGRATULATIONS!"

"Thanks," he smiled. "I'm probably flying in with you back tomorrow, so I can go visit one last time."

"Aw man. I have to spend another 4 hours on a plane with you?" I pouted sarcastically.

"Shut up, Stewart. You should be praising me," he smirked.

"Sure, Luke. Sure." I looked at him and saw he was still holding something back. "What now, Luke?"

"Um, how do I say this," he said as he thought to himself. "I kinda um… kinda kissed Selena."

I coughed on air, if that was possible. "What do you mean you _kinda_ kissed her?"

"I mean that I kissed her," he blushed awkwardly.

"So YOU kissed HER?"

"Well, it was kind of a two way thing, you know."

Laughing, I continued my questioning. "Wait. So who leaned forward first?"

He thought to himself. "I think she did, and then I did, and then you know."

"Wow. Have you realized you just kissed the girl that half your football team fantasizes about?"

"You think I haven't realized that?" he smirked. "I think I like her. Like really like her."

I raised an eyebrow. "You didn't act like it before."

He thought to himself. "I didn't know her before."

Suddenly, Lucas' phone started ringing, which broke the conversation. He smiled the minute he heard the voice on the other end. "It's Selena," he grinned and excused himself. I smiled after him. He seemed happy. I was happy. He hadn't had any interest in any girls ever since Sarah. But Sarah was different. He was what he thought was 'in love' and inexperienced. He simply enjoyed her company and the feeling of being wanted and loved; to have that feeling that you would always have that one person who you could go to; that would hold you when you needed to be held; that would listen when you needed to talk; that would heal when you were hurt. I guess that's why most people try looking for love young. Just to get that feeling. When you're young, teenagers don't worry about death or getting old. They worry about growing up alone, without that one person. They were all scared of never finding love, and I used to be one of them. I always thought that I would be stuck in my hometown for the rest of my life, or end up settling for some guy that I at least could tolerate living with. I thought that the collapse of Mom and Dad's marriage would pass on to me, causing me to actually and truly fear in love itself.

Nick changed that.

I looked up to see Lucas laughing into the phone to something Selena had probably had said. Realizing that this was my cue to go, I slipped out of the room and made my way home. Even though Nick was miles and miles away, I still couldn't help but day dream about him. When he had dropped me off back home, he had this secret smile on his face. I hadn't taken much notice to it until now.

I slipped into Dad's house and saw it was empty. Remembering that Dad had work and Diane had another doctor's appointment, I walked to the kitchen where an envelope was waiting for me. It was a plain white envelope without anything written on it except my name. It was really thick too. Guessing it was mine, I tore it open and was surprised to find another envelope, and then another, and then another, and then another. Finally, I reached the last envelope, except this time, it wasn't blank. On it was the official stamp of the Los Angeles University of Art and Design. (AKA the art school I had applied to.) On how they figured out I was in LA, or even where my Dad's house was was questionable, but my answer was on a yellow post- it note on the back. I could recognize Nick's scribbled hand-writing anywhere.

_Surprise!_ was all it said. I opened the envelope cautiously. Finally, being the impatient person I am, I just ripped it open. It was a thin letter (and from what I heard; thin letters were not good). "_Dear Miley Ray Stewart, thank you for applying to the Los Angeles University of Art and Design._ Blah blah blah,"I read aloud. Finally, I came to the part of the letter.

"_We are honored to tell you that you have been accepted to our university, and we hope to see you next fall._"

At that moment, I was about to scream and jump and do anything that I could. I had gotten in. I would see Lucas more, I would see Dad more, I would see Diane more, I would see Demi and Joe more, I would see Selena more, I would see Addie more, I would see Cassie and Oliver more, I would see Nick more. I knew that Nick had something to do with this acceptance letter, but at that moment I wasn't anything but thankful. I felt like he had just saved my life.

"I LOVE YOU!" I screamed into the air knowing that he was probably too far for me to call him. And right now, I was so sure of it. Without even knowing it, he gave me everything I had ever wanted.

* * *

Since Nick was across the world, and Diane and Dad were out of the house, I called Lucas instantly telling him it was an emergency. To my surprise, he arrived in record time. He was sweating and frantic when he had finally showed up to the door. "Woah," I laughed eyeing his moist forehead.

"What's the emergency?" he ran inside looking for any signs of blood or robbers. Laughing, I sat him down to calm himself before telling him the news. Eventually, I gave up.

"I GOT ACCEPTED TO ART SCHOOL IN LA!" I screamed. Lucas' mouth dropped before he picked me up in his arms and swung me around like I was another football buddy.

"Woooo!!! Miley! I knew you would. Now we can see each other everyday. Wait a minute. Is that a good thing?" he mocked. I giggled and slapped him on the shoulder.

"I just can't believe it. I'm going to school in LA. Pinch me," I paused knowing Lucas too well. "No. Don't pinch me."

Lucas stopped his hand and smirked. "So what now? Are you moving into campus? Have you paid tuition? What?"

"Well," I said examining the letter. "I have an interview coming up! … next week."

Lucas raised an eyebrow. "Meaning?"

"Meaning," I continued taking a deep breath. "I can't go home tomorrow. Not yet."

Lucas sighed. "Well at least this time, we only won't be seeing each other for a few days instead of years." I smiled at his positive attitude and hugged him.

"Can you believe it? LA? Art school?"

He nodded smiling, and before I knew it, we had somehow gotten into a conversation about what crabs do without shells. (Don't ask.)

I got home that night and found Dad already passed out on the couch. I walked over smiling and closed the TV which was showing some old re-run of Full House and sat down next to him to wake him up. I'm pretty sure that the position he was sitting in would be a pain when he woke up the next morning. (Which for him, would probably be in a few hours) Dad worked A LOT. It was crazy. Now that I think about it, even when he was back home, I think I had only seen him a few weeks in months. That was just him. He loved his job. He loved what he did. The main words he had always told me that still stuck to me today were, "If you love your job, you honestly haven't worked a day in your life."

I just wished he loved his job less, and us more. But some things shouldn't be changed. He was happy, and that made me happy. At first, I blamed Mom and Dad's divorce on his job, since it was kind of the main basis of their arguments. Dad was never home to take care of me or to take care of Mom. Sometimes, it was like he didn't exist at all. But for some reason, when I looked back at my early childhood, before everything was messed up with the divorce, all I could remember was the good memories, like when Dad would carry me on his shoulders and I had that feeling like I could fly off into the sky and just disappear behind the clouds. Or when he'd take me to watch those small shows they would do at the town center. Or when he'd take me to our favorite burger joint every time he came home. And for some reason I would never remember how on Parent Days or Open Houses at school, I would show up with only parent instead of two. Or how I walked to get my kindergarten diploma and only saw my Mom's proud and apologetic face at the empty seat next to her. Or even when I had my first ballet recital that he had persuaded me to join, and didn't have a Dad to carry me out of the auditorium on their shoulders with flowers like all the other girls.

I guess my mind wouldn't let me remember. I guess I was so caught up in this big image of Dad being this big hero that my mind threw away all the other memories when he wasn't there. I loved him. I really do, but looking back at my childhood, he just wasn't a father. My mom made up for the absence, and I loved her for that too.

Suddenly I felt Dad stir on the couch as he started murmuring to himself. I smiled remembering how much of a sleep- walker and talker he was. "Miley," he mumbled in his sleep. I kneeled down to wake him, but his hand grasped mine causing me to close my mouth. I raised my hand to wake him again, but his next few words stopped me.

"I'm sorry, Mi," he mumbled in his sleep. If there was one thing that Dad hated to do was to apologize. He thought it was weak and unnecessary. He thought you did what you did for a reason, and it was too late to change it. Being sorry for what you did wasn't going to change that you did it. But here he was apologizing. I squeezed the hand that he was still grasping onto and smoothed out his dark hair that was the same shade as mine. His forehead was crinkled as if he were in the middle of a nightmare.

"Shhh, Dad. It's okay," I soothed. I could tell he was sleep fast asleep as he kept murmuring sorry's.

"I'm sorry for leaving," he mumbled. "I'm sorry for not being there. I'm sorry for not being a father. I'm so…" he faded out as he moved again in his sleep.

"Shh, Dad. It's okay," I said again sighing as I squeezed his hand causing his to squeeze on tighter to mine. Finally, I whispered the words that I had been holding on to for the last 10 years.

"I forgive you, Dad." And suddenly his grip loosened and his face relaxed as if his nightmare had just stopped. His breathing slowed down and I could see his face almost look peaceful.

"Thank you," I think he mumbled, but I couldn't say for sure as my own eyes also started to drift shut. I didn't care if he was asleep when he had said it, or if I were too sleepy to act rationally. All I knew was that it seemed to fix all those gaping holes in my chest and mind. Right there, kneeling on the floor and holding my father's hand, I lay my head on the couch cushions and fell asleep feeling as if a barrel of unsaid words and bottled up feelings had just released itself off my chest.

I was free.


	23. Chapter 22: Clouds

I woke up early the next morning to pick Lucas up to bring to the airport. I was still in shock that his mom was having a baby. For years, I always only saw him as only an only child; we both were, and now we were both gaining siblings to take care of; siblings that would look up to us. Luckily, Dad and Diane were happy to find out about me staying a little longer, and even happier that I was going to be staying in LA for college. The conversation with Mom was… um.. different. She was happy. I knew she was, but I could also hear the loneliness in her voice. I would be leaving her, like Dad did. I didn't want to; I wanted to bring her with me; but I knew she wouldn't come and I had to do this for myself.

"Lucas. Hurry up and answer your phone," I murmured to myself as his phone ran and rang and rang. I had borrowed Diane's van, so there was enough room in the back for his stuff, but honestly, the van was already filled with enough baby stuff that I might as well have just walked. Eventually, I gave up on calling him and just drove straight to the campus.

"Lucas!" I knocked on his door. "Hurry your butt out here or you're going to miss your plane." I didn't get an answer except a small murmur. Sighing, I took the key around my neck and unlocked the door, only to find Lucas still in bed. "You are not serious," I laughed as I dragged him out.

"Stop! Leave me alone you troll," he mumbled trying to pull his pillow closer.

"May I remind you that you have a flight to catch in two hours?"

"Shhhh," Lucas whispered as he hugged his pillow and slapped me away. "I already have all my stuff ready. Just give me 5 more minutes."

Sighing, I dragged his luggage outside to put in the car trunk, and when I came back Lucas was luckily already sitting up and rubbing his eyes. "Nice hair," I smirked motioning towards the spike of blonde waves sticking up on the top of his head.

"Nice face," he smirked back as he pulled himself up. He walked over to his desk and picked up a jacket before going outside.

"You're going like that?" I said eyeing his plain white t- shirt and shorts that were wrinkled from sleeping. "You like you just rolled out of bed… which you did, but still."

He shrugged and smiled. "I'm going home. I might as well come back the way I left. No one cares what the heck I look like there."

"True," I laughed as I jumped on his back for a piggy- back ride to the van.

"What are you doing, Stewart? I have a girlfriend now," he smiled sarcastically. I slapped his forehead and kicked him.

"Walk faster," I commanded.

Lucas shook his head laughing to himself. "Why did I just have a horrible picture of us doing this in our 50's?"

"Ha," I laughed. "By then, I'll be carrying you. Your old back can't hang on that much longer," I said slapping him again teasingly. He slowed down to laugh.

"Faster, Luke. I don't have all day," I grinned, and he grumbled something to himself before breaking into a full- on sprint and dropping me on the grass rolling around in my own laughter. "Ahhh," I giggled uncontrollably. "I hate you, Luke," I shrieked though I couldn't hide my smile.

"Love you too, Stewart."

"Shut up, and help me up." He leaned forward and gave me a hand, but I pulled him down on the grass with me. "Remember all those afternoons we'd just skip school to watch the clouds?"

"Yeah," Lucas smiled next to me as he focused his gaze at the clear sky above us. "We always both saw different pictures for each cloud. And they weren't even close either. I'd see a golf ball, you'd see a giraffe."

I smirked remembering. "I was always right though."

"Whatever you say, Stewart," he laughed as he settled himself into the dewy grass. "Remember, the time I swore I saw Ms. Hembridge up there?"

I laughed softly. "Yeah. I also remember you'd always swear you had seen an angel."

"Because I did," he smiled. "And every time I tried showing you the angel, you'd say it was shaped like a demented potato."

"Because it did!" I remember that angel. Lucas would see it at least twice a week. Honestly, I never saw it, but he just kept trying to persuade me, and I eventually just agreed. I don't know what he had with that cloud, but he wouldn't let it go until I had agreed I had seen it to. To tell you the truth, I still have to see it, but at the time, it was just easier to agree. You have no idea how annoying Lucas can be when he's determined.

He shook his head laughing. "It was an angel. I'm sure of it."

I turned towards him to see his face relax. It was amazing how different our eyes saw from one another. Lucas would see a pineapple; I would see a fork. Lucas would see a giraffe; I'd see a golf ball. Lucas would see an angel; I would see a demented potato. Honestly, Lucas and I were completely different people. I was simple, shy, quiet, artist that actually strived to go unnoticed. Lucas was the straight A student, the football jocky, the popular hero of the town, handsome, athletic, gentleman- like, goofy, unselfish, caring, loving, and perfect. I guess Nick was wrong about perfection. I believe that there is such a thing as perfection; just different kinds for different people. To one person, you might be absolutely horrible. To someone else, you might be perfect. I think that was what the town distinguished us as. Lucas and I hung out together so much, people would assume we were twins (Aside from the fact we looked nothing alike.) We were our own different people, and that set us apart, but also brought us together at the same time.

Now let's get going. You have a plane to catch."

"Fine, fine!" he put his hands up in a mock surrender. He ran a hand through his bed- head and stuffed his hands in his pocket as we walked towards the parking lot. When he wasn't looking, I tripped him. Then, he tackled me. Then, I slapped him. Then, he helped me up, and soon enough we were on our way to the airport.

I sighed. Just like old times.

We were walking towards the terminal gate when a slim tall red- headed girl blocked our paths. She had on a thick blue wool sweater and red- rimmed wire glasses that seemed to big for her as she kept sliding them up her nose. Whoever this freak was, she refused to move and just stood there smiling at us. I had to admit there was something familiar about those soft brown eyes behind those glasses.

"Selena?" Lucas moved closer to get a better look. The girl in front of us smiled shyly. Slowly, she pulled off the red- rimmed glasses to reveal the flawless face of Selena Jansen. "What are you doing here?" Lucas asked already blushing.

She smiled at him. "I wanted to say goodbye before you left."

"Cool," Lucas smiled goofily. Oh god.

"What's with the, um," I motioned towards her outfit and red wig. Selena smirked as she pulled at the sleeves of the blue sweater. Honestly, it was probably one of the ugliest sweaters I had ever seen in my life, but in some strange way, Selena pulled it off.

"I didn't want to cause a scene," she explained. "How do I look?" she asked making a small turn only to reveal the drooping sweater even more. Accidentally, I broke into giggles causing Selena to blush in embarrassment, and send me an evil stare. Luckily, Lucas made up for it. He stepped up and touched a stray piece of red hair.

"I like it," he smiled encouragingly. Honestly, she did kind of look good as a red- head, but she was Selena Jansen. She could pull off a trash bag. She mumbled a thank you as she buried herself in a deep blushing. I felt like barfing. Eventually, I excused myself to give them some privacy and went to look for a bathroom. When I came back from getting into a '_mini'_ argument with an 11 year old about who was in line first (LONG STORY), they were just pulling away from a small yet sentimental hug. Selena's face seemed different. It seemed to have a stronger and brighter glow that seemed to radiate from inside her, something similar to what I had seen when she was hugging Nick… yet it was different. This time, she looked more relaxed and almost a little disappointed as she finally let go. Her eyes were shining from a little moistness growing at the corners of her eyes, but she still couldn't help but hold a small smile as Lucas smiled down at her. I guess he just had that effect on people. Suddenly, Lucas shyly stuffed his hands in his pockets and tilted his head in a position where his blond bangs of hair swayed to the side in a laid- back way. Selena's eyes suddenly softened as I saw her take in a deep in- take of breath as if just looking at him pained her.

Oh. My. God. I could recognize that look from anywhere. I had seen it only once when she looked at Nick. I had seen it when Nick looked at me or when I looked at Nick.. I had seen it when Joe looked at Demi or when Demi looked at Joe. Selena Jansen had fallen in love with Lucas Tiller. Selena had fallen in love with my best friend.

How? I have no idea. I mean, Lucas was a great guy, but for someone like HER to fall in love with someone like HIM was kind of unbelievable. Firstly, Lucas always seemed to like the practical girls. You know, the ones with the simple families that had dinner together every night, and probably majored in courses like Literature or Biology, and liked to spend her free- time reading or jogging or spending time with family and friends. The simple girls who he would have those intellectual discussions Lucas loved to have (Cause I could never handle those conversations) about books, classes, poetry, global warming, and politics with the president and stuff. And Selena? She probably MET and PERFORMED for the Mr. President himself. She was the farthest thing from simple; especially choosing simple boyfriends. C'mon. Look at her past relationships. Nick Grey; one of the most well- known actors in the world today. David Ryan? Biggest model to have ever been shown on a full spread cover of People magazine. And Lucas? Well, Lucas was just Lucas. Lucas was someone who loved to spend his times playing football or soccer or reading or debating or coming over to my house and eating out my refrigerator.

I tried looking at Lucas' face, but it was unreadable. That was weird. It was usually extremely easy to read Lucas' face. If he felt guilty, I noticed it instantly. If he felt depressed, I noticed it instantly. If he was interested in a girl, I noticed it instantly (though I wish I didn't.) Maybe I couldn't read his face right now, because there was too many emotions passing through his face as he said his last goodbyes to Selena. They were acting like they would never see each other again though he would only be gone a few weeks to make sure his mom was doing alright with the baby. A few months ago, I would have smirked at them. A few months ago, I wouldn't have found them being absolutely ridiculous. A few months ago, I probably wouldn't even be standing here. But now, I had Nick. Right now, I understood. Standing here, I realized how much we had in common at times. We were just two teenage girls that said or was about to say goodbye to the men we cared about.

Finally, I stepped up. Selena saw me instantly and looked down embarrassed as she tried to wipe away a stray tear. "Well, um, I should go. Tour rehearsal and stuff," she explained in a rush as she tried to force a reassuring smile. "I'll see you soon, Lucas," she leaned forward to give him a soft kiss on the cheek.

"See you soon," Lucas smiled as he ran his hand through his hair again, something he did whenever he was nervous. Finally, after what felt like them staring at each other for eternity, Selena sighed putting her red- rimmed glasses back on and walked out of the airport. I watched as Lucas watched her go.

"Wow. You really do like her," I smirked nudging him. He smiled to himself.

"Yeah." I turned towards my best friend and noticed all the changes that had gone through him. How much we both changed these past weeks.

"So what now? How are you going to tell your football buddies that you're dating Selena Jan- … Sorry. I mean Selena. Just Selena," I laughed crossing my arms. I could just see them right now. Those big beefy red- faced guys slapping Lucas in the back for congratulations and asking him about how 'hot' she was in person, and Lucas would just shrug it off and try to keep them guessing. The town would go CRAZY. But then again, if they ever learned about me and Nick (Nick being the town's absolute celebrity icon and hero), there would probably be a massacre.

He shrugged casually as if he were just telling the town that he had bought a keychain. Honestly, the news he would have to break would be as big as confessing that he was pregnant Actually, no. They would probably still freak out about the Selena thing more. "I don't know if I should tell them."

"Why not?"

He smiled softly to himself. "I don't know. I don't think we're just that too far into a relationship to be telling everyone. It's going to be hard for her with the public and stuff."

I shook my head laughing. "Lucas. The day that you and Sel go public, just go on a gossip website. Trust me. She won't be the one hated. All the other jealous guys will be. Don't be surprised if you're suddenly called 'slut'."

Lucas raised an eyebrow as he broke into a grin. "A slut?"

I raised my hands in defense. "Hey! I'm just warning you."

Lucas shook his head as he chuckled softly. "I think I'm going to wait. I'm going to just spend more time with her; get to know her better. And then by the next break, in a few months, I think that'd be a good time."

"You know she's in love with you?" I smirked as I nudged him again teasingly. He blushed a deep scarlet as he ran his hands through his blond waves again.

"Really?"

I shrugged as I snapped my mouth shut. I loved to make him guess. Lucas raised an eyebrow, but eventually shrugged himself. "Fine. Don't tell me."

God. He knew me too well. Finally, giving in, I opened my mouth. "She hasn't really told me, but I could see it in her eyes."

"So you're psychic now?" he laughed causing me to smirk.

"Shut up. I know what I'm talking about." He shrugged it off and smiled to himself. "You don't care?"

He laughed softly and shook his head. "I do care. I just… I don't know. I guess I…" he snapped his mouth shut not being able to find the right words.

"You love her too?" I finished for him, and he blushed a deeper scarlet if that was possible. He hung his head down and peeked his ocean blue eyes towards me.

"Is that insane of me? I've only known her for a week."

"You're not insane," I smiled understanding. I had felt the same way when I had met and fallen for Nick. All the examples around us of people falling in love too fast and breaking apart made us doubt, but if reasonable and practical and intelligent and always-knows-what-to-do Lucas can do it, then I guess I could too.

Finally a call for the next flight to Virginia sounded. He was about to go.

"Hey," Lucas smiled noticing my worried stare. "Promise me you'll give me the first picture you take in art school when I get back."

I smiled and nodded. "Of course."

He leaned in to give me a warm hug. I wrapped my arms around him tighter as he whispered, "I'm so proud of you, Mi." I nodded and smiled into his chest. Right now, all I felt was crying, yet somehow in some way, Lucas made me smile.

"So I'll see you soon?" I asked, still wrapped in his arms.

I felt him nod. "I'll see you soon," he smiled.

And finally, I let go.


	24. Chapter 23: Just Be You

The next few days, I spent with mostly myself. Sometimes I spent the day with Joe and Demi, but I also tried not to spend as much time with them, because I was too tired of all the cameras and paparazzi. Right now, all I wanted was time to myself. Plus Demi was busy working on her new album while Joe was being … well, um, Joe. I visited the orphanage yesterday and had checked up on Oliver and Cassie. They seemed perfectly fine, and Oliver seemed to have a brighter glow to him. And Cassie? Well, Cassie was just Cassie. As happy and upbeat as ever. (But she was starting to grow a tooth in that blank spot.)

I also started hanging out with Selena more. Taylor had flew to Europe for some charity performances, and Demi being too busy with her music, Selena had gotten lonely and apparently I was the only choice left. The only annoying part was that all she ever wanted to talk about was Lucas.

_"What's his favorite beverage?" she asked wondrously as she flipped through a magazine on my bed like we were in a normal teenage conversation. Except for the fact that she was taking up half the cover of the magazine, of course. Paparazzi and fans somehow seemed to find out where she was and were not waiting outside my house, or rather Dad and Diane's house, until she left. She flipped her perfectly glossed hair out of her eyes and looked at me for an answer._

_Luckily, I'd gotten used to her almost immortal looks and just thought of her as someone like me. "I don't know. He drinks water."_

_Selena rolled her eyes, but smirked. "Seriously. What about his favorite color? Wait. No. It's blue, right?"_

_I rolled my own eyes before asking the question I had been wondering about the past few days. "What's with Taylor and Joe? I mean, is there anything going on?"_

_Selena bit her fingernails and thought to herself as if she was having a battle with her own mind. "You noticed, huh?"_

_"You mean the way she looks at him? Or more specifically 'them'? Then yeah."_

_Selena sighed as she closed her magazine. "So when Demi first met Joe, she introduced him to all of us, and Taylor fell in love with him right there. Apparently, he had offered her a ride home, because Demi had to go get something with me, and she thought that they were perfect for each other. Well, after a few months, Taylor and him became 'friends' and one day she kissed him. And he didn't really pull away either. Well, that's what she told me. She said that he said he was confused and had to think about what he wanted and what he was going to do. Taylor was so confident from all those late night talks and conversations and similarities in music and movies etc would mean he would choose her. But then a few days later, he proposed to Demi. Taylor has been pretty much heart- broken since."_

_"Wow," I sighed. "Are your lives always filled with this much drama?"_

_Selena laughed as she opened her magazine again. "Nah. I wish." I brought my gaze back on the magazine in front of me, but I couldn't help but feeling sorry for Taylor. I mean, I support Joe's decision with Demi. I honestly think they found 'The One' in each other, but I couldn't stop thinking about Taylor. She had honestly loved Joe. I still think she does from what I saw at the bowling alley, but now, she's accepted it. I wonder how that feels. Knowing that what you want, can't be yours. Selena noticed my distracted and worried stare as she shifted slightly._

_"Don't worry. My sister is a big girl. She'll move on eventually. She just falls for guys too easily," Selena explained, her voice softening. I nodded and flipped through my magazine uncomfortably. Suddenly, Selena's high- pitched voice broke through again. "Lucas's favorite type of pasta is angel hair, right?"_

_I nodded just wanting her to shut up as I flipped through my own magazine. I laughed as I stopped at an article. "Woah woah woah, Sel. What's this? Two- timing Lucas?" I grinned as I pointed to some random article about Selena having secret late- night meetings with David Ryan. Selena stared at it before breaking off into giggles._

_"Shut up. I haven't even seen David since like, last year," she grinned remembering._

_"What happened with him anyway?" I asked biting my lip. I had always wondered, but like Nick, she would always closed her walls every time I had gotten to the subject with the whole Nick break- up._

_She took a moment to herself as I felt her shift around the bed before answering. "Basically what you know."_

_I blinked surprised. "That you slept with him while you were with Nick?" She took another pause before nodding._

_I looked up at her sympathetically as her face was contorted with a sort of pain from remembering. It must have been hard for her, but I also thought about Nick. Even when she hadn't been the one cheated on, she still looked as if she had her heart broken. The only difference between the expressions she had from now to that talk on her last day on set was that this time, her face had more acceptance and closure. Lucas had helped her move on. Suddenly her head snapped up as if breaking her wandering thoughts and met my eyes._

_"Can I just ask why you did it?" She shrugged it off, but I wouldn't let her get away with it that easily. I learned that sometimes people choose to keep thoughts to themselves because they're too scared of where it would lead them, or that keeping a silence is easier than releasing all that bottled up feelings. Before, I would have shrugged it off and changed the subject, but right now, I wasn't the same Miley from a few months ago. I knew that Selena had more to say; I just had to help her get it out._

_"You can tell me." I looked her straight in the eye, and I could see all she wanted to do was to curl away and hide. But she knew I wouldn't go anywhere._

_"Because I thought I loved him," she said point by point._

_I looked at her confused. "But didn't you love Ni-"_

_"Yes. I did love Nick. Of course. We had been dating for years," she rolled her eyes. "But Nick… He was just there. It was more like a friend or companion that you saw and had more privileges with. I don't really think we were IN LOVE. And when I was at this music event, I met David. He was sweet, and romantic, and he made me feel sexy and important. A way that Nick rarely made me feel. I felt wanted for once in my life."_

_I turned to raise an eyebrow. "C'mon. You're wanted by half the world. You're freakin' Selena Jansen."_

_Again, she shook her head as she smiled almost mockingly to herself. "It's different. They don't really want me. They want what they think I am. This perfect looking, perfect boyfriend, perfect house, perfect family, perfect life girl. Everything I'm not. David actually got to know me, and he just made me feel special. And one night, I just felt like he was THE ONE. Like the right one. Not Nick or anybody else. Just David… I'm not going to say that it was a mistake what I did that night, but I'm not completely proud of it either. It felt like the right thing at that time, and the choice had been made. I loved him, so what could I regret about it."_

_She paused letting me sink the words in before she continued. "And Nick… I love him too much to keep it for him. The very next day I ran to him apologizing my heart out. You should have seen me," she smiled cruelly. "I was literally begging. And you want to know the truth about the break- up? Nick didn't break up with me."_

_I sat up confused. "But… What?"_

_She sighed as she sat up also. "Nick forgave me. Can you believe it? I slept with another guy behind his back, and he forgave me. How was that supposed to make me feel?"_

_"Like trash, probably," I mumbled. Selena looked at me for a long time before nodding slowly._

_"Exactly. Trash. At that moment, I knew I didn't deserve him, so I broke up with him. And after that I always thought I had made the wrong decision. I mean, he was single FOREVER. I thought I really was meant to be his soul- mate, and I actually thought about taking him back."_

_"But you didn't…" I said._

_She nodded as she smiled softly to herself. "I didn't. Because he met you." She paused as she looked up to meet my eyes before smiling again. "Remember when I found you in his trailer? When he walked into the trailer and saw you there, his eyes lit up in a way I hadn't seen since… actually, never. And when you walked away, it dimmed as if nothing mattered anymore. You have no idea how crazy that made me. I was supposed to be that girl in his life that he based his life on. I was supposed to be the one that made him smile when he saw me walk into the room. I was supposed to make his eyes light up when I said his name. But I guess I wasn't."_

_I blushed lightly at realizing all the small smiles and blushes Nick and I had shared, and how much of those small simple things made our relationship what it was now. Selena caught my blush, and smiled. "You deserve him, Miley. When I first met you, I honestly thought I hated you."_

_"Ditto," I laughed._

_Selena smirked. "I mean, you were perfect." I raised an eyebrow. "Okay. Maybe not so much. But that's what annoyed me the most. That Nick had picked someone so unflawless. When I had broken up with him, I thought he'd get up and find a prettier, and smarter, and more famous girl to date. But he didn't. He chose you."_

_I smiled to myself. I didn't really feel lucky. Well, I did, but not for what most people would think. I didn't feel lucky for having the pleasure to date one of the most famous movie- stars in the world. I felt lucky, because I had found that one person I knew I would stay with forever. I had found love._

_"Well," I asked wondering. "Why aren't you with David anymore if you really did love him?"_

_She sighed and just said, "Sometimes what you think is love, really doesn't end up being love at all."_

_I nodded slowly and opened my mouth to ask more, but I decided to let her have time and space to herself feeling as if I had pried enough for the day._

_Selena was back lying down on her stomach when she stopped at a page. "Miley. Come here. Look who's famous now." I stood up and walked over to where Selena was laying down and saw her holding a page open where there was a whole three page layout of pictures of Selena, Demi, Joe, and Taylor all out and about on the streets of LA. And finally, my eyes wandered to the sides of each picture where I was. I was standing next to Demi or Selena in most pictures, and I actually blended in. Selena smirked at my awe-struck expression and turned the page. If I thought I was surprised before, the next page could have frozen me._

_On the top of the page was my name in a big red bold font: MILEY STEWART. FRESH NEW FACE OF HOLLYWOOD. I laughed to myself. "How did they know my name?"_

_Selena shrugged. "These people know everything."_

_I looked up at her. "Does this mean I'm famous now?"_

_"Well, you're certainly noticed," Selena laughed looking through the pictures._

_"But I didn't do anything," I explained confused._

_"You don't have to do anything. Just get seen with us a couple times, and you're immediately in. Look at Demi's sister or Joe's family. Everyone knows them because of Demi. Like I didn't get into singing, until Taylor got famous and people started taking a notice to me."_

_I sighed leaning my hands under my chin. "So just like that?"_

_Selena snapped her fingers. "Just like that." She paused as her eyes glazed over with something I couldn't recognize. "Just like that," she said again, but softer. I remembered what Nick said about fame and how it could be so fragile. If you lose your hold on it for a second, it's almost impossible to get it back. For Selena, fame was her life. When that was taken away from her, she basically had nothing. At that moment, I knew I didn't want fame, or I wouldn't let it get to me. Once I was too far into it, I would never be able to get myself out._

I snapped back into the present and found myself standing in front of the door that separated me from my future. Or to be more specific, the door of the Dean of the school. Slowly, I twisted the door knob and walked in trying to focus my attention on keeping my back straight, making sure my hair was perfectly in place, that my oxford shirt was still neatly tucked in, that my knee length skirt wasn't riding up, while making sure I remembered to breath.

"Ah. Ms. Cyrus," Mrs. Rivers stood up with a soft and wise smile. Unlike what I expected, she was dressed in regular black slacks and a painted up t-shirt. Suddenly, I felt too overdressed. I sat down in the chairs in front of her and shifted awkwardly. "Well, you look… serious," Mrs. Rivers laughed as she took a sip of her mug.

"Thank you," I laughed uncomfortably. "I wasn't expecting it to be so casual."

"Well, from what I heard about you, I didn't expect you to be so… un casual."

I shook my head laughing. "I usually am."

"Well then, why aren't you?" she looked at me straight in the eye with a small smile. I looked at her and stuttered.

"I- I… I don't know. I was guessing this was how I was supposed to be dressed lik-"

"And that, Ms. Stewart is your problem," Mrs. Rivers finally grinned as she leaned forward. "In Art school you never do what you're supposed to do. Art is about breaking those rules. It's about crossing those lines. It's about breaking free. And I've seen your work, and I am very impressed."

"Thank you," I strained a smile though my thoughts kept focusing on her words. Suddenly, she stood up and wiped her hands on her jeans. "Well, it was nice meeting you, Ms. Stewart."

I stood up offended. I had only arrived about 5 minutes ago, and she was already asking me to leave. I hadn't even gotten a chance to give her my past report cards and information from my old high school. Did that mean that I wasn't accepted? As I turned around to go with tears building in my eyes, I heard her voice sound again.

"And Ms. Stewart. The next time I see you in the fall, please dress more like… like yourself," she smiled, and my heart relaxed in relief as I laughed back.

"Don't worry," I grinned. "I'm working on it."

"And you can go look around campus if you want," she explained as she relaxed into her chair.

I thanked her again before leaving anxiously. I moved through campus looking at all the students I passed. There were so many of them; or to be more specific, there were so many different types of them; even people who looked alike but dressed and acted completely different. I was officially in art school. I made my way through the halls that were designed with so many different murals that it took my breath away. Finally, I entered a wide empty classroom filled with only canvas' and pencils. I smiled as I took a seat into an empty stool and picked up a pencil, and I just started drawing. It was amazing how much my hands could move naturally. It was like everything that I thought of in my head just transferred itself to the movement in my hands. By the time, I had finished, two hours had passed, and I didn't even realize it. I could see it was getting dark outside, and I suddenly remembered that Lucas was coming home tonight from Virginia. I stuffed my drawing in my bag and walked out of the building feeling as if I were already a student as students didn't give me an alien stare. I fit in.

By the time I had gotten home, it was pretty late. I had stopped to get an iced coffee and had even stayed at the café to finish a book I had started a couple days ago. Then I went to visit Addie for dinner because I couldn't have Sunday lunch with her due to the interview, then I went to have a chat with Joe and Demi because I was too bored, and finally I made my way home. I was surprised to find the lights to Dad's house still open when I walked in. I placed my bag and keys on the table near the door and walked in wondering what was going on for them to be staying up so late.

The minute I entered the room, I noticed 5 things. First, I noticed Dad's blank stare at the floor. Then I noticed the phone in his lap. Thirdly, I noticed Diane sitting with her feet curled up under her on the couch opposite him. Fourth, she had been crying. And fifth, I looked up to meet the eyes of a sympathetic police officer.

I walked in confused. "Dad? Diane? What's going on?" Suddenly, all eyes snapped at me with a mix of so many emotions, I couldn't recognize a single one of them. I stepped closer, and Diane broke into sobs as she laid her head in her hands. I stepped forward her to comfort her for whatever she was crying about, but Dad called me back.

"Miley. Where have you been? I've been calling your phone for hours," Dad strained out as I noticed how blood- shot his eyes were.

"I forgot to charge it last night," I explained softly. The atmosphere in the room had gotten dead silent. I turned towards the police officer who was standing there as if he wished he were somewhere else. Finally, I turned towards Dad again. "What's going on?"

He ran his hands through his graying hair and exhaled a deep breath as Diane's sobs grew louder. "Wait," I took a step back. "What's wrong with Mom? It's her isn't it?" I screamed frustrated. I couldn't believe I was so stupid to leave her all alone at home. She was old enough and capable enough to stand for herself, but things could happen. Whatever had happened to Mom, I had caused. I knew it. I knew it. I knew it.

Suddenly, tears broke surface as I backed away slowly from Diane, Dad, and the stranger. The only thing I could hear now were my own sobs mixed with Diane's, the heavy ticking of a clock, and the footsteps of someone walking outside. "Mom," I whimpered out pressing my hands to my face, but Dad stepped up and wrapped me in his arms, stroking my hair like he did when I had only been a little girl. Back to the day when I still believed monsters hid in our closets, and thought our Dad's owned the world. I cried into his chest and cried out Mom's name over and over again until Dad's voice broke through my cries.

"No," he shook his head. "It's not Mom."


	25. Chapter 24: Gone

_**A/N: This is the last official chapter before I upload the epilogue. Thanks for the review and readers. It's been fun to write this story, and this has probably been my most reviewed story so far. I might be continuing an old story I never finished so keep up for that. :) **_

_**Also, the first part of this chapter is in ittalic because it's a memory. Read and Review, and thank you.  
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_One of my strongest childhood memories happened on April 11__th__, 2OOO. I was currently going to Salem Elementary School in a small second grade class. In that time, everyone was friends with everyone. There were no cliques; no populars, no geeks, no losers. We were all just us. Since the town was so small, I knew everyone in my class by name and favorite snack; Lucas, Jessica, Ashley, Jackson, Kimberly, Michael (Lucas and Jackson's best friend), and me. While Lucas' main best friends at school were the guys, I was best friends with the girls; including, Jessica and Ashley. The day I walked into school on April 11__th__, I knew that things changed. Not only at home, but here, at school. I walked in slowly down the narrow hallway, instead of skipping like I usually did, and clutched one hand onto my lunchbox and the other to my yellow dress. Mom had tied up my hair in a high ponytail to make me feel like a princess, but at that time, I didn't feel anything like that at all. I walked into the classroom I hadn't seen in the last week, and instead of slipping into my desk at the front, I took a seat at the last seat in the last row. The others were off outside in the playground since there was still a little time before class started. This was my first day back since my parent's divorce, and the minute I stood up and walked outside to see my friends, I knew they knew. I walked over to Jessica, Ashley, and Kimberly who were playing four- square. "Hi, guys," I strained a smile. "Can I play?" But they gave each other this shared look and walked away. Next I tried walking towards Lucas and his friends. I remember Lucas had been wearing his faded loose shorts, and his favorite Spider- man t- shirt. Luke was obsessed with the whole superhero thing. He'd jump off high flights of stairs, balance on ledges, and even try climbing up on walls. He thought he was invincible. Back then his hair was also spiked up causing his blonde hair to stand up like sticks. When Lucas saw me walking towards him, he grinned this huge gapped- toothed grin, but his friends shared that same look Jessica, Ashley, and Kimberly had. Like I was changed over the past week. Like I didn't belong with them. Suddenly Jackson stepped up and grabbed the picture in my left hand and showed it to all his friends. I flushed embarrassed as Lucas' eyes widened and looked at me. "Give it back!" I screamed, but they wouldn't as they laughed. Finally, when they started trying to rip it, I pushed Jackson on the floor and snatched the picture back in my tiny palm. Embarrassed, Jackson and Michael ran away, leaving me alone with Lucas. I sat down on a stair- step and held back the tears. Lucas sat there with me and held my hand. He didn't say anything else. I don't think he knew what to say. Even I didn't know what to say. Finally, after a few minutes, I brought the wrinkled picture out of my hand. On it was the last photograph Mom, Dad, and I had taken together at the apple orchard in Oregon. Dad had one casual arm around Mom as he held me in his other arm. Our smiles were so wide and so real that it was almost crazy to think that somehow this had broken apart. We would never have these moments again. No more pictures. No more memories. "Is it weird that I carry around this picture with me?" I asked Lucas. He looked up at me wide blue eyes. "Why would it be weird?" _

_I shrugged. "I don't know. No one else does it." _

_Lucas paused and smiled softly at me. "That doesn't mean it's weird. It makes you special." _

_I smiled slightly from his answer as he squeezed my hand tighter. Finally, the bell rang indicating that class was about to start. I ran up the stone steps with Lucas next to me, not feeling so alone anymore. _

_

* * *

_

I snapped out of the memory as I leaned back on the hospital chair. From that day on, Lucas had been my only true friend. I never had one real conversation with any of them (unless you count Jessica). But even with that one friend, I never felt alone. Lucas had always made up for it. He had always been enough.

But right now, I had never felt so alone in my life.

I tucked my knees up as I leaned my forehead against it. What was I supposed to do? I had been waiting here for almost 3 hours, and we hadn't gotten any news. Dad was sitting on a seat across from me as he sat forward staring at the floor. He had sent Diane home earlier, because it wasn't safe for her or the baby to be staying up so late. Mom and Lucas' mom were on a plane to LA at the moment. Finally, my eyes locked on Selena. She was wearing that 'disguise' with the red wig again and glasses to not cause attention. Her eyes were red- rimmed as she kept her hands held in a tight fist. How she found out, I didn't know, but she had showed up breathless as if she had just run a thousand miles and asked for Lucas. Once I had told her, she collapsed on the nearest chair and had stayed silent for the last hour. For me, I haven't cried yet, like how I didn't cry when Dad left. I didn't know what to feel. I just felt so numb.

Finally, I looked up to see a middle- aged doctor come out with a folder and a surgical mask slid around his throat. I looked at his face to try to read what he was feeling, but it was expressionless. He must have been doing this for awhile now. Even when I couldn't tell if the folder in his hands contained bad news or good news, I still didn't want it to be us he called. I wasn't ready. Not yet.

But then again, life didn't wait.

"Tiller Family?" the doctor called out. My Dad and I stood up instantly. My Dad gave me a look to sit back down as he walked up to the doctor to discuss. I leaned back in my chair exhaling a deep breath that I had been holding in for the past hour. I reached across my chest and just held onto Nick's dogtag and Lucas' key as if it were the only tangible thing that was keeping me on this Earth. I looked up to see Selena still sitting in a silent defeated position in the corner of the room. She had taken off her glasses and had her face in between her hands. I didn't need to move closer to hear her sobs. Selena Jansen was crying.

I looked up to see my Dad nod to the doctor before walking back towards me. He didn't have any tears in his eyes, which I instantly took as a good thing. I jumped up and ran towards him. "He's okay. Isn't he?"

I expected him to smile and to lead me into Lucas' hospital room to tell him was a dork head he was. I expected him to tell me that it was a big misunderstanding and Lucas was sitting in his dorm room right now studying .I wanted him to tell me Lucas was alright. I wanted him to tell me anything. Absolutely anthing.

But he didn't. He stood there frozen and looked down at the floor, as if looking me in the eyes were too painful. I didn't even need to know what happened as I backed away slowly. I shook my head and just ran out the sliding doors of the emergency room and ran until I reached a long bridge that connected LA to some smaller towns. It was empty except for the few trails of end- lights from passing cars. I nearly collapsed as I walked, and gripped onto the bridge railing for support.

He couldn't do this to me. Lucas couldn't do this to me. He couldn't just leave me alone. He promised that he'd always be there. That even when he was going to school in LA and I was in Virginia that he would be here, and that he would fly back the minute I asked him too. Frustrated, I pulled onto the key around my neck that he had promised would mean he was always there. It was the key that was supposed to lead me to him when I needed him. But right now I needed him, and he wasn't here. He never would be. I grabbed the key so tight around my hands that the chain broke around my neck and fell like cut ribbons into my palm.

I screamed through the tears that finally started pushing through my numbness and brought my hand back as far as I could before throwing the stupid key into the dark sky in front of me.

The minute, it left my hand, I reached out instantly to grab it back, but it was too late by then. It was gone. It was gone forever. I collapsed on my knees as I grasped onto the now empty space on my chest where his key was supposed to be. The last thing I had from Lucas was gone. It was gone. Lucas was gone.

And from the last 17 years I had known him, the memory that hit me the strongest was the day I came back to school in second grade. The last day I had ever felt so alone. "It just makes you special." Lucas' words echoed through my head with a low and deep echoing. Every single word we had passed for the past 17 years kept replaying in my head over and over again. Every single memory was speeding past my mind in slow motion. Every single future moment with him was gone.

We wouldn't be able to laugh at each other when we grew old or watch the other get married. Our kids wouldn't grow up to be best friends like us. Our grandchildren wouldn't get to know each other. Everything that we were supposed to do together was now gone.

The next few hours were a blur. I had ended up leaning against the bridge railings, trying to figure out what I had done to deserve this when I saw Dad's car come up from behind me. Next thing I knew, he carried me into his arms just like I was little girl again.

A little girl that had just lost her best friend.

* * *

On August 28th, 2010 Lucas Tiller passed away. He had been on his way back to LA. He was planning on seeing his girlfriend, to see his best friend's new art career in the LA School of Design, his classes to start in UCLA. But at 9: 30 P.M. the plane he was on did not land right. The left wing of the plane had skidded onto the runway, causing the plane to flip on its side. Out of the hundreds of passengers on that plane with the same intentions of seeing their friends and family again, only 5 people died.

Lucas was just one of them.

I smoothed out my knee length dress and slipped into my black ballet flats. I adjusted my loose ponytail and slipped on my black cardigan. I walked down the stairs and found Diane, Dad, and Mom already ready to go. They smiled at me encouragingly, but I couldn't find the strength to smile back. I just looked down, trying to avoid as much eye contact as possible. We entered the car and soon enough we were driving down the familiar blocks of home. The small houses that I had grown up around were passing by in blurs, and I had to close my eyes to stop any memories that were pushing through. Not now. Not yet.

We finally stopped at a grassed area that most people did not regularly go to in town. When we had arrived, there were already people grouped up and talking in soft tones as if scared to be heard. I walked past the crowd as all eyes were turned towards me, but I kept my eyes steady on the dewy grass with the scattered brown leaves indicating the coming of fall. Finally, I made my way to my destination. It was a square piece of lot that was reserved. On the top of the grass was a clean polished marble stone with the words _Lucas Tiller (December 1993- August 2010); Our Miracle. _

I took my spot at the side and watched as everyone settled into their seats. My gaze was locked onto my knotted hands until I heard the crowd go silent. It was my turn to speak.

I rose from my chair silently and walked up to the podium. Everyone was silent, except for the soft sound of sobs mixed in with the fall wind.

"Lucas Tiller," I said looking down at the podium instead of the crowd. For a moment, I honestly thought about turning around and running away. I wasn't sure I could do this. Finally, I stepped closer to the stand and looked up to meet the faces of the crowd. "Luke," I said again with a soft smile, "was my best friend." I felt the crowd start to smile remembering everything we had gotten through together. "He was amazing, gentle, loving, caring, honest, loyal," I smiled to myself. "Some might even say perfect." I took another deep breath before letting my speech roll out. Most of my speech included memories and stories about the crazy things we had done. Everyone laughed; some cried; some sat there silently and just nodded. Finally when I was nearing my speech, I looked up to the sky.

"For the last seventeen years, this place right here, was Luke's favorite place. We'd stare at the clouds for hours and just talk about family, friends, the future. He always swore that he saw an angel up there. Every day he would swear it was one of these clouds, but I never saw it," I smiled remembering as I looked back up at the sky. The clouds were scattered and I couldn't help but notice one looked like a pineapple. I bit back my smile and looked back at the crowd. "I know we all miss him," I paused taking a deep intake of breath. "But somehow, I know that Luke is in a good place."

"He's home," I finished as a big sweep of wind blew softly across the crowd, and I could see everyone close their eyes and breathe in.

Lucas was home.

After a few more speeches, everyone stood up and gathered around the marble stone again. The very place me and Luke had spent the last 10 years together. Lucas' mom stepped up, her stomach already bloating out from her pregnancy, and held the urn in her arms. She was weeping softly, but managed to walk up with a strong heart. Carefully, she opened the urn and scattered Lucas' ashes across the lot before finally picking up a handful of soil and throwing it in the shallow hole. I watched as everyone took their turns, placing a small handful of soil in and paying their respects. I watched as Jessica and Ashley stepped up, both crying to themselves, but I swear Jessica gave me a soft sad smile before walking away. Lucas' football friends came to give their respects, and it amazed me that the toughest guy in school even broke a tear as he walked away. I watched Mom step up with tears in her eyes. I watched Diane and Dad step up with flowers as they got their own handfuls of soils. Finally, I stepped up and kneeled down to linger a finger on the smooth marble. _Our Miracle_ , I read again. Smiling softly, I leaned forward to grasp onto some soil. Finally, I let my hand drop watching the soil tumble down.

"Bye, Luke."

I stood up, dusting my dress off, and stepped back. Suddenly, I heard whispers and gasps behind me. I turned around and found four familiar faces stepping forward, all dressed in black.

"Hey," Demi and Joe smiled softly. Joe had an arm around Demi's waist as I saw her eyes were red and swollen from crying. I built up the strength to smile back, and leaned forward to hug them both. Taylor stood next to them, her long blonde curls tamed in a bun. I hugged her remembering what Selena had told me. Everyone in the crowd seemed confused on how three celebrities found their way to Lucas' funeral, but they decided to leave the questioning until later. Right now, it was for Lucas. As Demi, Joe, and Taylor pulled away to pay their respects, I finally turned to Selena who looked absolutely beautiful even behind the tears.

"Come here," I whispered as I wrapped her in a deep hug. The minute I hugged her, we both broke into soft cries. I wondered how hard it was for her. She had fallen in love with Luke after a few days. There was so much she didn't know about him, so much she had wanted to know. Finally, she pulled back embarrassed and noticed the eyes of the crowd on her. "I'm sorry. Should I not have come?"

I took her arm and led her forward Lucas' grave. "No. He would have wanted you here." As Demi and Joe stepped back after paying their respects, Selena let go of my hand and stepped forward. She read the engraving on the tomb stone smiled softly. She picked up the soil between her slender fingers, keeping it there for a few moments as she closed her eyes, before finally releasing her hand, and saying the words I had said.

"Bye, Luke."

Finally, she stepped back next to me. Without even asking, I led her away from the crowd with Demi and Joe and began walking down the grassed hill. I turned to see Joe, Demi, and Selena all smiling. Confused, my phone began to ring, but by the time I picked up, the caller had hung up. I called the number back, telling them to go on without me, and I'd catch up after the phone call. After a few rings, I heard someone's ringtone behind me. Even more confused, I turned around and found myself standing in front of Nick Grey.

"Hey," he whispered awkwardly, his hands in his pockets. He was wearing a dark polo shirt with his sleeves casually rolled up like usual, and his tie was crooked. But the first thing I noticed was the absence of Nick's mess of curls. Today, his brown curls were tamed and pushed back in a smooth neat wave.

"Hey," I said just as breathless. He ran his hands through his curls again, causing one to fall down across his forehead. Without saying anything else, I slipped into his familiar arms and I felt him wrap around me instinctively.

"I'm sorry," he murmured into my hair, and I just nodded. There weren't any more tears. I didn't want to waste time mourning the absence of Lucas, but rather remember the life that he had the chance to live. Pulling back after what felt like eternity, I held his hand as I followed Demi, Joe, and Selena down the hill, and suddenly, I didn't feel so alone anymore. The sun was shining through the canopy of trees and illuminating the hill we were walking on as if we were walking on crystals. The sky was clear and blue as clouds floated above us smoothly. Suddenly, I saw something in the corner of my eye.

Without saying anything else, I let go of Nick's hand and ran the opposite direction of the others. I looked up at the sky as my guide and kicked off my shoes, feeling the cool wet grass underneath my toes. The sun was beaming down at me, and I could feel people staring as I ran past. I saw even some call after me, but I couldn't stop running. Finally, I saw it again, and I collapsed on my knees crying.

But this time, I wasn't crying tears of depression. I wasn't crying tears of sadness, but rather it was tears of hope. It was tears of closure. Suddenly, I heard everyone's footsteps coming from behind me; Mom, Dad, Diane, Nick, Selena, Demi, Joe, but I still couldn't stop crying. Mom kneeled forward putting a supportive arm around my shoulder.

"Miley," she stared worriedly. "What's wrong?" But I couldn't get anything out as I looked at the sky again.

"I saw it," I mumbled through my tears and I could feel everyone's confused stare around me. They probably thought I was going crazy, but I didn't care.

Because up there, on a single cloud, I finally saw Lucas' angel.


	26. Epilouge

_**1 year later:**_

I fixed Nick's tie as the limo drove through the crowded and familiar streets of LA. It was the anticipated premier of the movie _Before the Storm_ that we had shot last summer. "Stop moving," I laughed as I adjusted his tie. He grinned.

"Sorry, and stop worrying. It's going to be okay," he squeezed my hand.

"I'm not worr-"I argued but the limo stopped cutting me off. We had arrived. I instantly moved my hands to fix my hair and to adjust my dress, but Nick took my hands and kissed them.

"You look beautiful, Mi." Tonight was the night Nick and I went public. I bit my lip anxiously as Nick helped me out. The minute I stepped foot on the red carpet, the flashes went crazy. People were screaming, and chaos erupted. If it wasn't for Nick's steady hand leading me across, I would have probably turned around and ran. As we finally reached a certain spot on the red carpet, Nick stopped me and faced me in front of a set of cameras that went crazy. As I felt Nick's hand tighten around mine, I smiled at him and knew that everything was going to be fine. I turned towards the end of the red carpet, nearer to the double glass doors leading to the theater and caught the bright hazel eyes of Selena Jansen. I almost had to blink twice to make sure I was looking at the same person. I mean, it was the same Selena Jansen. She had the same color hair, same color eyes, same heart- shaped face, same small dimples, yet it wasn't. There was something different about her. She looked older; more mature. She stood taller with a more sophisticated stance instead of just confidence. Her eyes shone with more wisdom as she moved with more grace than I had seen in her the past year.

She waved and gave a dazzling smile. I smiled back proudly and watched her make her way back inside the theater. I watched and took in how much she had really changed while she was off touring. How much she had moved on after Lucas. I always wondered what would have happened if Lucas hadn't been on that plane at that day in that hour. Where we would be now if Lucas was still in our lives… but from seeing Selena right now, I knew she was fine. Maybe not completely 100% happy, but she was getting through.

It has been almost 12 months since Lucas' death, and not much has changed. Today, I'm studying at Art School in LA, and come home to visit Mom and Lucas' Mom once in awhile. She had given birth a few weeks ago to a beautiful baby girl with the same ocean blue eyes as Lucas. It seemed tragic to think that Olivia would never get to know her big brother. But Lucas still lives in all of us to help her remember as Lucas still lives in her for all of us from seeing her. I'm still best friends with Demi and Joe, although they're both off across the country for Demi's tour. Selena's still pretty much Selena, but I can see she still thinks about Lucas. I think she was one of the people who had the hardest time after. She loved him, and she never got the chance to tell him. I remember the weekend we got back to LA from the funeral, I had found Selena staring at the tree with the engravements all over it. I had always come there to draw, and every few times, I would catch Selena just sitting on the bench across from it, and staring. Finally, one day in October, I watched her shakily stand up and carve something up in the tree. After she left, I had to see what she had written. I wasn't surprised when I had seen Lucas' name carved on the side is Selena's smooth cursive. I guess it was her closure, like seeing that cloud at Luke's funeral was mine.

Taylor is actually dating an actor now, and I honestly think she loves him. Like Selena had said, Taylor had finally moved on from Joe. Oliver and Cassie and the rest of the orphanage are good, adding to the fact that Oliver had been given an art scholarship to study at this school in LA for kids who are specially talented. Now, he lives on the school's campus, and Nick and I visit him every few weeks. On a sadder note, Addie had passed away last month in her sleep. She had died smiling, which made it easier for us to accept. The day that we had gotten the news, Nick had locked himself in of his room for 3 days straight. He canceled all interviews and public outings and movie- filming. I mean, Nick basically lost his mother. After the first few days, I was worried that he wasn't going to come out; that he purposely was pushing me away like he used to, but on the third day, he came out a newer Nick. It wasn't really different. He just seemed older, more accepting; like he'd lived through so much more. When he had come out, he spent the rest of the week with me as if making up for the time when he wasn't. Addie had left Nick everything that she owned, including her secret fried chicken recipe that Nick and I still have every Sunday.

Merely 2 months after Luke's funeral, Diane and Dad had a baby girl whom they named Destiny, who coincidentally was born on Lucas' birthday. She had Diane's moss green eyes, and Dad and mine's semi- curly brown hair. Right now, she was only a few months old but she could already recognize shapes (Diane's teaching) and she could also demand piggy back rides pretty well (My teaching). She was absolutely beautiful; she was my sister.

As for Nick and I? We're happy, and we still haven't gone public with our relationship yet. We had been seen publicly together and people started assuming, but we haven't officially confirmed it. I mean, I was best friends with Nick's friends. I could easily have just been another friend. Actually tonight was the night we were breaking the news.

"Nick! Nick! Nick!" everyone screamed as they kept asking if 'Niley' (Nick and I's new couple name) was official. He grinned as he saw me blush. Without knowing what he was about to do, to answer their question, he bent me down to kiss me in front of everyone, letting the kiss hang on to my lips until the very last second.

I didn't care if there were a million blinking lights and flashing in front of us, or even that there were hundreds of strangers that were watching us. All I knew and cared about was that I was with him. Just when the crowd went wild with questioning and asking us to pose with a kiss again, Nick pulled me into the theater with a grin.

"Wow," I sighed with a smirk. "That was fun."

He flipped a curl off his forehead and grinned down at me. "Tell me about it."

* * *

I sat there mesmerized as I watched the screen in front of me. I felt Nick's hand squeeze mine as the final scene was about to end. Suddenly Nick's soft voice trailed in the background as the final Egyptian landscape, the place that changed my life, was fading out.

"Sometimes giving up doesn't mean you're weak," Nick's voice carried out through the theater. "It just shows you're strong enough to let go."

Next to me, I felt Selena's hand tighten around mine for a second as I turned to see her eyes closed almost peacefully. I squeezed back and closed my own eyes, letting my last few memories of Lucas linger on the edge of my mind. And as I closed my eyes, while still holding Selena's hand, I saw Luke's cloud angel again, but this time, it was farther away; too far for me to even reach; and moving too far to even see clearly.

Finally, I opened my eyes slowly to see Selena doing the same as the credits started rolling. I knew she had seen it too. From the closure and acceptance in her face, she had seen Lucas' angel, and how it had moved on; just like how she should.

As we exited the theater after saying our final goodbyes, I leaned forward to hug Selena one more time before leaving with Nick. I could feel her linger for a second before giving me her signature Selena Jansen grin and sending me off with the smirk I had grown used to in the last year.

By the time, he had dropped me off at campus, I didn't waste a moment to kick out of my gown and change into a more comfy pair of pajama bottoms with a loose- fitting Radio- head concert t- shirt. (The one Luke and I had gotten together at our first concert. I had recently found it a few weeks ago when I had visited home.) I walked towards my shelf to pick up my sketch book, but as I picked it up, I felt something thick underneath. I lifted the pad of paper up to find a worn out manila envelope that I probably hadn't touched for months. My name was written in a familiar leaned style with black sharpie, and smelled of a mixture of cardboard and dust.

Curious, I opened it up to find a stack of photographs; the photographs that Luke had developed for me way back last year. I flipped through them surprised to find pictures coming all the way back to Egypt. I laid the photos across my bed and stood back to examine them. I smiled at the picture of Nick from my birthday holding me up in his arms as I laughed with our frosting- covered shirts and smiles. There was a picture of the whole cast and crew of Before the Storm arm in arm. There was a picture of Mom with that soft embarrassed smile as she tried looking away from the camera. There was a picture of Selena not looking at the camera, yet still looking absolutely flawless as her lips seemed twitched in a sad smile. I grinned as I saw a picture of Jessica, Ashley, Jackson, and Lucas all sitting together at the burger joint looking like a normal happy group of people just enjoying their time. There was a picture of Diane standing in front of Destiny's nursery with a gentle hand on her stomach, and a soft cautious smile directed towards the camera. There was a picture of Dad with his arm wrapped protectively around Diane's waist as his grin seemed as if he owned the world. There was a picture of Demi and Joe from the car ride home from our shopping trip from Rodeo with Demi sleeping on Joe's shoulder, and him just watching her peacefully. There was a picture of Addie with her _what'scookinggoodlooking_ apron and Nick with his messy array of curls posing in front of a batch of fried chicken, including a picture of Nick EATING a BATCH of fried chicken. There was a picture of Nick posing with Cassie on his shoulders as he held a smiling Oliver in his other arm. There was also a picture of Taylor and Selena arm in arm as they smiled teasingly into the camera on the day of the bowling tournament. There was a picture of Selena and Lucas, both not looking at the camera, but just staring at each other as if nothing else existed except them. And finally, there was a picture of me. My hair was let loose in much longer waves of hazel than I had today. It was from the night of the party at Egypt when Selena had lent me a dress. My eyes were outlined with a thick covering of eye- liner causing my eyes to look more exotic then dull. My body, instead of looking limp and bent- forward, actually looked slim and tall. The dress I had been wearing hugged my hips closely and wrapped around my torso almost as if it had been tailored exactly for me. Behind me, Nick had been wrapping his arms around my waist, as I leaned my head on his chest smiling. A few stray strands of hair were flying across my face as Nick's curls fell down his forehead. I could tell he was laughing. Next to it, I saw a picture of all of us at Demi and Joe's apartment; Demi, Joe, Taylor, Selena ,Lucas, Nick, and I all posing together as we all tried fitting into their very VERY small futon couch. Selena's mouth was open in the middle of a burst of laughter as she tried squeezing in, but ended up sliding off the arm rest. Demi was sitting on Joe's lap as she turned towards him with a laughing grin as he smiled that goofy smile back at her. Taylor and Lucas were probably the only two looking straight into the camera as Nick was too busy looking at me as my head was pulled back and caught in a moment of laughing. I looked happy. We all looked happy.

At that moment, I realized that it didn't matter where I was. Whether I was at a fancy movie set that was filming a major blockbuster or if I were just home sitting around or having Movie Sunday with Lucas. Whether I was eating at some fancy restaurant or I was eating fried chicken at Addie's house. Whether I was hanging around the most famous and respected artists of all time, or I was just chatting with Diane on the couch with a glass of lemonade. Whether I was being followed around by cameras or if I were going around town just taking pictures with my own camera. Whether I was at a movie- premier in a thousand dollar dress, or just sitting at my dorm room with a t- shirt and pajama bottoms. Whether I was shopping at the prestigious Rodeo Drive, or just sitting in bed sketching. Whether I was with THE NICK GREY or just Nick.

What was perfect anyway? A fancy car? A fancy home? Famous friends? Famous family? Famous connections? It didn't really matter where I was, who I was with, or what I was doing it. All I knew was that it was those little moments that I had taken so for granted for the past few days that had ended up being so precious and fragile in the end. It wasn't the fancy outings, or the privileges, or the money, or the fame, or the attention. It was the small moments, like driving around in an old vintage mustang, watching the stars, eating ice- cream with a friend, sipping lemonade while having small- talk, tickling each other until someone cries from laughing so much, those small genuine conversations about life, friends, family, and even just these photographs of perfectly captured moments scatted across my bed.

Because all in all, despite whoever you are or whatever you have, it's always going to be those small moments that truly are picture perfect.


End file.
